9/11 Firefighters Memorial Bell Tower - Denton, TX
N 33° 12.865 W 097° 07.721
14S E 674399 N 3676618
A memorial to the firefighters who died on 9/11 stands in the form of a bell tower in front of the Denton Firefighters Museum at the Central Fire Station, 323 E Hickory St, Denton, TX.
Waymark Code: WMXY3Y
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/15/2018
Views: 3
A detailed mounted sign stands in front of the memorial:
To honor all who sacrifice that we may live in freedom.
We remember you. We thank you.
The Tower
The bell tower memorializes the courage, dedication and service of the 343 firefighters who died saving lives at the New York World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The windows of Central Fire Station were the inspiration for the shape of the 30-foot bell tower. The raw surfaces of the salvaged wide flange beam and trim on the fire station suggested the use of timeless COR-TEN steel for the tower structure. When viewing the tower from the east and west, the shapes of the Twin Towers are evident. Lighting inside the monolith that enshrouds disparate relics -- bell and beam -- allows for reflection both day and night. These beams of light were inspired by Tribute in Light that is installed each year next to the former site of the World Trade Center.
The Bell
The spun-bronze fire bell weighs 500 pounds and measures 23 inches high, 29 inches wide at the base and 15 inches wide at the top. It was cast by the Rumsey Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, Missouri, in 1884. The Denton Fire Department, founded in 1874, purchased the bell and installed it in three successive fire stations. In addition to being sounded as a fire-warning during the 19th Century, it was tapped daily at 10:00 a.m., noon, and 6:00 p.m. During World War II, all bells in the city joined this bell in ringing at 10:00 a.m. for a moment of prayer. The weight, shape and dimensions of a bell determine its musical note. Denton's fire bell sounds a "middle C." Restoration involved media blasting, polishing and installing a time striker system in the dome of the bell. When run, listeners will now hear a sound reminiscent of early life in Denton.
The Beam
The wide flange beam was cut from the rubble of Ground Zero at the site of the New York World Trade Center. Three Denton Firefighters, Jeff Dixon, Brad Fuller, and Alan Hempstead worked as part of a rescue force in "the pit." The hand-drawn symbols on the surface of the beam were made by workers required to record where it was found in the rubble. This piece of steel, once a part of a monumental labyrinth, now sits alone, exposed and accessible. When touching it, you are making history real and remembering those firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Citizens place their lives in the hands of Denton Firefighters every day. Let it be known that this artwork, respectfully planned and executed, shows our gratitude to these men and women who so faithfully care for us all.
Millie Giles
Original Concept and Design
Public Art Committee
Emerson Vorel
Director of Parks & Recreation
City of Denton
Herman Lawson
Project/Construction Administrator
City of Denton
Links Construction
Contractor
Verdin Bell Company
Restoration, Bell
Fire Chief Robin Paulsgrove
Denton Fire Department
Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth Hedges
Denton Fire Department
David M. Robinson, AIA
Kirkpatrick Architecture Studio
Modern Workshop
Fabricator, Bell Tower
Address of Tower:
323 E Hickory St
Denton, TX USA
76201
Still Operational: yes
Number of bells in tower?: 1
Relevant website?: [Web Link]
Rate tower: 
Tours or visits allowed in tower?: Yes
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Visit Instructions:
Please post an original picture of the tower taken while you were there. Please also record how you came to be at this tower and any other interesting information you learned about it while there.