Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens 9/11 Memorial is Open To The Public on the Anniversary of the Attacks
Stamford, CT – In 2015, a 16-foot “Survivor Tree” archway at the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens was constructed with the collaboration of The F. A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.
The “Survivor Tree,” a Bradford callery pear (Pyrus calleriana ‘Bradford’), was found alive in the rubble and replanted at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Students from John Bowne High School in Flushing, Queens, took cuttings from the tree, 14 of which were planted in a memorial archway on the Arboretum property.
The 16 foot x 12 foot x 8 foot archway was made of metal and bamboo over which the 14 World Trade Center “Survivor Tree” offspring trees were trained to create a canopy tunnel. An artifact from the rubble was also brought in and mounted at the entrance of the archway.
The trees were gifted to The F. A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum as a thank you for their benevolence and continued care and commitment to the “Survivor Tree” and the Survivor Tree Seedling program. The F. A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company then helped construct this living memorial dedicated to those who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center.
The offspring trees continue to mature and are tagged with numbered gold medallions that identify each, and, like the Survivor Tree, they continue to serve as landmarks symbolizing resilience and hope.
“This year has been unprecedented and filled with challenging hardships for so many in our community. We hope that the Survivor Tree and our 9/11 memorial archway can be a source of inspiration and hope for residents,” said Jane von Trapp, CEO at the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens. “We invite the community to gather at a safe social distance throughout the day on September 11th and pay their respects to the victims of the 2001 attacks. But we also hope that residents will take heart from the legacy of the Survivor Tree. We at the Bartlett believe that this tree, that nature itself, is a reminder that there is beauty all around us and hope is never lost.”