Ground Zero

The day we visited Ground Zero, it was sunny, warm, and still. Walking around the area where the World Trade Center had been, there really wasn't much to see, and that emptiness is what made such a quiet impact.

Across the street from where the World Trade Center stood, St. Paul's Chapel was built in 1766 and still stands strong, miraculously unharmed by the attacks in 2001. It is the oldest building in Manhattan that is still fully used. After 9-11, it served as a support station for volunteers, firefighters, police officers, and other recovery workers; it continues to be a place of worship, comfort, and prayer. We walked through it and saw artwork, cards and support from all over the world, memorial photos of those lost in the Twin Towers, quiet places for prayer, memorial books, and historical information from long before 2001. The pew in which President George Washington prayed after his inauguration was displayed. After the terrorist attacks, it was also used as a place for emergency workers to have their sore feet doctored.

If you'd like to read more about St. Paul's Chapel, go to this link:
http://www.stpaulschapel.org/

The Chapel was a comforting place to visit, a peaceful contrast to what the days following September 11, 2001 were...especially for those in New York City.