2001
September 11. Attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and United Flight 93 claim 2,977 lives. Beverly Hills Fire Chief Timothy Scranton is on duty at Station 2.
About the Memorial
About the Memorial
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden is a place of reflection, honor, and enduring remembrance built by a community that chose to act. It stands as one of the only September 11 memorials on the West Coast housing an original artifact from the World Trade Center, and it exists for anyone who wishes to honor, reflect, and remember.
The Story
The Day That Changed Everything
On September 11, 2001 at 8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 was deliberately flown into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Within minutes, the world understood this was no accident. At 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C. And at 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93, its passengers having learned what was happening and chosen to fight back, came down in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 2,977 innocent lives were lost. Hundreds of first responders gave their lives answering the call. The world was changed in a single morning.
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden pays tribute to those whose lives were lost on 9/11 and serves as a constant reminder of the heroism exhibited by fire & law enforcement personnel and first responders that day, and on any ongoing basis.
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Origin
Origin of the Memorial
A Fire Chief's Vision
Former Beverly Hills Fire Chief Timothy Scranton was working at Beverly Hills Fire Station 2 on the morning of September 11, 2001. Like every American who witnessed that day unfold, he was changed by it. Unlike most, he decided to do something about it.
The impetus behind building the monument was one of collective strength. "I wanted to ensure we never forget," Scranton said, "and to educate our younger generations." He began discussions about a possible memorial in 2009, after successfully procuring an original steel beam from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, a process that required months of outreach, court approvals, and coordination with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Referred to WTC contacts by crisis counselor Anne Kellogg, Fire Chief Scranton and Fire Administrator Michael J. Liongson navigated the bureaucratic and legal process required to obtain a piece of the Twin Towers' remnants for the community.
The Rotary Club Steps Up
The project needed a financial anchor. The Rotary Club of Beverly Hills, led by former Rotary Club President Mitch Dawson, became the first organization to formally partner and financially support the effort, with 96 Beverly Hills Rotarians donating to the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden. It was the Rotary Club's early commitment that secured the funds needed to transport the nearly one-ton beam from New York to Los Angeles, a critical first step that made everything that followed possible.
A Community Responds
Soon after the beam arrived, the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Committee was formed with volunteers from across the city who came together to determine how best to build a memorial around it. Architects, landscape designers, construction workers, community organizations, businesses, and individual donors all stepped forward.
As project manager Reggie Sully of McCoy Construction later described it: "Initially, it was going to be the firemen getting together and laying some bricks on sand and then it just kept blossoming more and more and more." The collaboration that followed was "pure magic."
Design & Construction
Design & Construction
Design
The memorial was designed by architect Gidas Peteris of Peteris Architects and Jim Ply of Oak Crest Landscape. From the outset, their goal was clear.
Our goal from the start of the design was to find balance, harmony, flow, and most importantly be respectful of the events of 9/11.
The structural steel beam from the Twin Towers, bent nearly in half from the destruction and now standing 18 feet tall, became the focal point of the entire Memorial Garden. Surrounding it: curved granite benches for contemplation, a pentagonal planter engraved with the names of all 2,977 victims, stone replicas of the Twin Towers, six water column features, a flagpole, and open greenery representing the field at Shanksville.
Construction
The build required extraordinary coordination: granite imported from China, a four-step name engraving process for 2,977 names on stainless steel, concrete pours, stone masonry, and weld inspections. Subcontractors, suppliers, and companies across the project routinely donated their services. Beverly Hills firefighters, police officers, elected officials, and city staff contributed hundreds of volunteer hours.
No City Funds Used
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden Committee proudly notes that no City funds were used to create or construct the site. The entirety of the project was funded through private donations from the community.
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Dedication
The Dedication
On September 11, 2011, on the tenth anniversary of the attacks, Beverly Hills gathered.
Firefighters, police officers, city staff, elected officials, and members of the public came together at the unveiling of the completed Memorial Garden. The ceremony was solemn, moving, and deeply personal. Commemorative challenge coins were created to mark the occasion. It was the beginning of what would become an annual tradition.
We will never forget those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, a day that changed the world and shook the heart and soul of every single American.
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Timeline
Historical Timeline
2001
Chief Scranton begins envisioning a permanent memorial for his community.
2009
Chief Scranton and crisis counselor Anne Kellogg contact the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. After months of outreach and legal approvals, a 30-foot, 1,900-pound bent steel floor beam from the World Trade Center is acquired.
2009–2011
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Committee is formed. Architect Gidas Peteris, landscape designer Jim Ply, and project manager Reggie Sully lead the design and build. The Rotary Club of Beverly Hills, led by former Rotary Club President Mitch Dawson, becomes the first organizational partner and secures funds for beam transport. All funds raised entirely through private donations.
Sept 8, 2011
A companion 9/11 Exhibit opens at the Beverly Hills Public Library, organized by Gail Stein (Archivist), Michael J. Liongson (Fire Administrator), and Brad Burlingame. The Exhibit features Brad's personal memorabilia honoring his brother, Captain Charles "Chic" Burlingame III, pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, along with photographs and the story behind the memorial's creation.
Sept 11, 2011
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden is dedicated on the tenth anniversary of the attacks. Beverly Hills firefighters, police officers, city officials, and the public gather for the unveiling ceremony. The Memorial Garden, funded entirely through private donations and built by community volunteers, opens to the public free of charge. Commemorative challenge coins are created to mark the occasion.
2011–Present
Annual remembrance ceremonies are held every September 11th. The memorial remains open to the public 365 days a year, free of charge.
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Ceremonies
Annual Remembrance Ceremonies
Every year on September 11th, Beverly Hills gathers at the Memorial Garden. The annual ceremony includes:
- Bagpipe performance
- Color guard
- Wreath laying
- Ringing of the bell
- The playing of Taps
- 21-gun salute
- Performance by the Beverly Hills High School Madrigal Singers
- Flyover in partnership with the City of Los Angeles
This year’s ceremony begins at 11 a.m. and is open to all. It is one of the most meaningful civic gatherings in Beverly Hills each year and a living expression of the community's commitment to remembrance.
As Fire Chief Gregory W. Barton has described it, the annual gathering is "a bringing together of community and an outpouring of support for those who lost their lives."
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Leadership
Leadership
Founding Committee
The Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Garden would not exist without the vision and dedication of its founding committee:
- Fire Chief Gregory W. Barton
- Linda J. Briskman
- Jennifer C. Castellanos
- Mitch Dawson
- Judie A. Fenton
- Michael J. Liongson
- Jeanne S. Marks
- Fire Captain Joseph Matsch
- Gidas Peteris
- Jim Ply
- Lillian L. Raffel
- Brian K. Rosenstein
- Fire Chief Timothy J. Scranton
- Police Chief David L. Snowden
Current Committee
The Committee's Board of Directors is a volunteer group that continually supports and oversees the memorial's maintenance, annual remembrance ceremonies, fundraising efforts, and community outreach.
- Fire Chief Gregory W. Barton
- Barry Berk
- Linda J. Briskman
- Les Bronte
- Jennifer C. Castellanos
- Judie A. Fenton
- Michael J. Liongson
- Jeanne S. Marks
- Gidas Peteris
- Jim Ply
- Lillian L. Raffel
Supporting Organizations
- City of Beverly Hills
- Rotary Club of Beverly Hills
- Beverly Hills Fire Department
- Beverly Hills Firefighters' Association
- Beverly Hills Police Officers Association