A Powerful 9/11 Memorial Stands Tall in Greenville Kentucky

In 2017, I was in Greenville, Kentucky, for work, and it doubled as my first opportunity to see the city's 9/11 Memorial on the courthouse square. When time and my travels allow, I make sure to pay a visit.

The 9/11 Memorial in Greenville, Kentucky

Standing 18 feet tall and resting on concrete columns, the downtown Greenville memorial, which was dedicated on September 11th, 2016, is mainly a 17-foot-long steel beam that fell from the North Tower of the World Trade Center that day in 2001.

On top of the beam, giving it its extra foot, is the bronze sculpture of an angry American bald eagle. It has an American flag in its talons. You know, it's just dawned on me that the two columns probably represent the Twin Towers. For whatever reason, that hadn't occurred to me before.

There are also four plaques made of granite that tell the story of the attack. You can find those at the base of the sculpture. In the red brick in which the plaques are set, you'll see the names of Muhlenberg County first responders who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Other 9/11 Memorials in Kentucky

Greenville isn't the only Kentucky city where you'll encounter memorials paying tribute to America's darkest day. Ceremonies are held annually at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central in Radcliff. This also serves as the main 9/11 memorial for nearby Fort Knox.

You'll also find a beam from the towers at Bill Howard Memorial Park in Louisville.

And on every 9/11, the Lexington Fraternal Order of Firefighters participates in the annual Memorial Stair Climb. They did the same thing in Owensboro.

Just do a search of "9/11 memorials in Kentucky" and you'll find them if they're there. The thing is, visiting these and remembering what happened shouldn't be relegated to one day. We've been saying "Never forget" for 24 years, and we mean it.