Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the missing Manhattan skyline remains sharply visible from across the Hudson River in Jersey City.
Jersey City Memorials Mark Quarter-Century Since 9/11
The empty sky across the river holds particular resonance in New Jersey, which lost 749 people with ties to the state in the attacks. On Thursday, September 10, 2026, visitors and local officials gathered at waterfront sites like the Empty Sky: New Jersey September 11th Memorial and the Jersey City 9/11 Memorial to honor the victims. The Empty Sky memorial features twin stainless steel walls pointing directly toward Ground Zero, bearing the etched names of 746 New Jerseyans killed in the World Trade Center towers—including the 1993 bombing—as well as those who died at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, as reported by the Orange County Register.
Reflecting on a Changed Landscape 25 Years Later
A quarter of a century has transformed the daily rhythm of the waterfront. Many young professionals grabbing lunch along the Hudson River have grown up without any living memory of the Twin Towers standing, knowing the monumental towers only through photographs passed down by parents. For others, the milestone anniversary prompted a first-time visit to local tributes. Jersey City police officer Dineen Rackley visited the Jersey City 9/11 Memorial on Thursday, September 10, 2026, saying that the 25-year mark drew her to view the recovered steel beams, helmets, and emergency service artifacts before the heavy crowds of the official anniversary arrived.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Empty Sky memorial?
The Empty Sky: New Jersey September 11th Memorial is located on the Jersey City waterfront and features twin stainless steel walls pointing toward Ground Zero in Manhattan, inscribed with the names of New Jersey residents killed in the 1993 and 2001 terror attacks, according to the Orange County Register.
How many people with ties to New Jersey died on 9/11?
According to the sources, 749 people who lived in or maintained ties to New Jersey were killed in the September 11 attacks.
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