Twenty-five years ago, the Millburn and Short Hills community, like countless others across the nation, was shaken by the tragic loss of life on Sept. 11, 2001. “It is important to remember and honor those we have lost,” says Kristina Sternesky, public information officer for the township. “The eight members we lost had ties to the community that ran deep, and the families and friends of those we lost still hold their pain, but there is also an incredible amount of hope,” she says. “We have a responsibility to all of them to ensure that kids today understand what occurred—the strength and resilience and unity of Millburn Township.”

Daily Reminders of Strength

Many residents who travel by train each day pass memorial rocks with plaques at both Millburn and Short Hills stations. A monument with seating is located at Taylor Park in Millburn, and an art installation with steel from the World Trade Center is located at Crescent Park in Short Hills.

The train station rocks and plaques, which were dedicated in the spring of 2002, honor five local residents who took the train into the city. Inscribed on the plaques beneath trees is: “We shall never forget our friends and neighbors who rode the rails with us that morning, but did not return with us that night.” Mark L. Charette, Steven B. Lillianthal, Patrick S. Murphy, Ian Schneider, and Frank J. Spinelli are honored at both stations.

Set in a serene circle of trees and manicured shrubs in Taylor Park, a curved stone wall features three granite plaques, two naming eight of the locals lost (Charette, Tommy Clark, Lillianthal, Richard Madden, Murphy, Don Peterson, Schneider, and Spinelli). A center plaque includes the inscription: “In memory of our neighbors who were lost in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.”

A stone bench across from the remembrance wall serves as a quiet spot to sit and reflect. Along a brick path adjacent to the memorial are eight cherry trees to represent the eight precious lives lost. Designed by Edgewater Design, the memorial is located at 100 Main St. in Millburn.

Love Represented in Art

In 2021, the Crescent Park memorial was installed for the 20th anniversary. It features steel from Ground Zero surrounded by 419 interlocking rings that represent the first responders and eight local residents who died. The installation was designed by artist Sarah Langsam, who also created two half-moon benches to provide a place for contemplation while admiring the memorial.

Langsam’s own reflections on 9/11 and the creation of the memorial are recorded in the document archives of the Township of Millburn: “On Sept. 11, 2001, I was in elementary school just three and a half miles from Crescent Park. Everyone I know who lived around here then has their individual memories and experience of that day. Yet we also share a special bond with one another. We remember the profound hurt, sorrow, and shock. But we also remember how the community came together through the outpouring of love, support, and patriotism. While the 419 rings are distinguishable individually, they are all actually connected, creating a strong, solid surface of metal. This speaks to the strength and resiliency of the Millburn community following the attacks. It is an incredible honor to create a space for reflection, one that commemorates the first responders who gave their lives and those in the Millburn community who perished.”

Honoring Our Neighbors

Although the township plans a gathering of remembrance every year in a small, private setting, every five years, it hosts a larger ceremony at Taylor Park. For this year’s 25th anniversary, the event will be held at 3 p.m. on Sept. 11. Residents can find more information on the township website (twp.millburn.nj.us) in the Community Calendar or News Flash sections and on social media.

Take a moment to attend a local ceremony or sit quietly at one of the memorials in town this Sept. 11 to pay tribute to our Millburn and Short Hills residents who were tragically lost 25 years ago. To honor Charette, Clark, Lillianthal, Madden, Murphy, Peterson, Schneider, and Spinelli in the words of the poet Virgil: “No day shall erase you from the memory of time.”

Antonietta Henry is a wife, mother of four, and owner of Antonietta Henry Photography in Pompton Plains. She enjoys exploring and learning more about towns throughout her home state of New Jersey.

Photograph by Antonietta Henry