World Trade Center steel beam at the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden

Steel Beam & Symbolism

Steel Beam & Memorial Garden Symbolism

The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden is more than a monument. Every element, from the bent steel beam at its center to the field of greenery surrounding it, was deliberately chosen to honor a specific place, a specific loss, and a specific act of courage. This page is a guide to the meaning behind what you see.

Victims' names plaque at the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden

Positioned above you is a historic steel artifact that once served as a structural member at the World Trade Center site. It is supported by a Pentagon shaped base and prominently looks out, ever vigilant, towards the symbolic Twin Towers and the field of greenery representing Shanksville.
— Memorial Garden inscription (on-site plaque)

The WTC Steel Beam

A Piece of History, Standing in Beverly Hills

At the heart of the Memorial Garden stands a structural steel beam salvaged directly from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, one of the most powerful physical connections to the events of September 11, 2001 anywhere on the West Coast.

The beam is massive in person, nearly the size of a compact car laid on its side, weighing just under one ton. It was obtained through a months-long effort by former Beverly Hills Fire Chief Timothy Scranton, who alongside local crisis counselor Anne Kellogg contacted the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to formally request a piece of the Twin Towers' remnants for the city's memorial.

Bent But Not Broken

The beam is bent nearly in half, folded by the force of the towers' collapse. Standing nearly 18 feet tall, it resembles, in the words of those who built it, a drinking straw bent in half. This was not hidden or corrected. It was preserved intentionally.

Architect Gidas Peteris made the beam the visual and spiritual anchor of the entire space. "It gives us a little height and more to show otherwise nobody would know what it was," he explained. For project manager Reggie Sully of McCoy Construction: "It has been an honor to work on something like this. It is bent but not broken."

Journey

Getting the Beam Here

The Rotary Club of Beverly Hills was the first organization to formally partner and financially support the effort, securing the funds needed to bring the beam from New York to Los Angeles. Subcontractors, suppliers, businesses, and community members routinely donated time and services.

The Symbolic Components

Symbolic elements within the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden

Pentagon-shaped base and memorial artifacts

The Pentagon-Shaped Base

The steel beam sits atop a pentagonal base, five sides referencing the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 struck on September 11, 2001, claiming 187 lives. Encased within the foundation are copies of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, and the Bill of Rights, alongside a fragment of the aircraft from Flight 77 and the captain's insignia wings.

The plaques lining the pedestal carry the engraved names of all 2,977 people killed in the attacks.

Encased in the foundation of this memorial are copies of the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Gettysburg Address, and a piece of the aircraft from Flight 77 along with the Captain's insignia wings.
— Memorial Garden inscription (on-site plaque)

Memorial inscription and civic documents

The Declaration of Independence — On-Site Inscription

On the granite bench at the memorial, the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence is inscribed:

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT, THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
— Inscribed on the granite bench at the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden

The Twin Towers

Standing beside the walking paths are stone replicas of the Twin Towers. Landscape designer Jim Ply made a deliberate choice: the replicas stand taller than strict scale would require. The towers, in this Memorial Garden, stand proud. Alongside them are six stone column water features representing life and hope for the future.

The Shanksville Field

The open greenery surrounding the memorial represents the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 came down on September 11, 2001. The passengers and crew, having learned of the other attacks, chose to fight back, their courage preventing a fourth strike on a major American target. The field in Beverly Hills, quiet, open, alive, honors that sacrifice with the simplest possible symbol: the earth itself.

The beam permanently faces outward toward the Twin Tower replicas and the Shanksville field, ever watchful, ever present.

The Circular Bench & Reflection Space

Curved granite benches arc around the base of the beam, forming a circular space for sitting, reflecting, and remembering. The Memorial Garden's walking paths wind through waterfalls and golden flowers, designed to slow the pace of visitors and invite stillness. The lighting was carefully planned so the memorial is equally visible and accessible after dark.

The Time Capsule

Beneath the foundation lies a sealed time capsule containing a piece of one of the hijacked aircraft and the ID badge of a pilot, donated by his family. There is no set date to open it. It was placed there to remain permanently.

One of the most moving moments in the memorial's creation came when Brad Burlingame, brother of Captain Charles "Chic" Burlingame of American Airlines Flight 77, shared how the FBI had returned a prayer card from his brother's wallet, one of the only personal effects ever recovered. That story shaped the memorial's purpose more than any blueprint.

9/11 Exhibit at Beverly Hills Public Library poster

The 9/11 Exhibit at Beverly Hills Library

To mark the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden’s dedication, Gail Stein (Archivist), Beverly Hills Fire Administrator Michael J. Liongson, and Brad Burlingame organized a companion 9/11 Exhibit at the Beverly Hills Public Library. Opening September 8, 2011, three days before the Memorial Garden's unveiling, the Exhibit featured Brad's personal memorabilia honoring his brother, Captain Charles "Chic" Burlingame III, the pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, alongside photographs documenting the installation of the steel beam, the Memorial Garden's architectural plans, and the story of how the Memorial Garden came to be. It gave the community a place to learn and reflect before gathering at the Memorial Garden itself.

Built by Community

The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden was funded entirely through private donations, led by the Rotary Club of Beverly Hills and supported by hundreds of individual contributors. Their names are inscribed on the monument. Construction was overseen by McCoy Construction, with architect Gidas Peteris and landscape designer Jim Ply donating their expertise. Many subcontractors waived their fees entirely. The memorial was dedicated on September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of the attacks.

Visitor Note

The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden is located at 445 North Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, beside the Beverly Hills Fire and Police Departments. It is open Daily from Sunrise to Sunset and free to visit.