Western Pennsylvania Tour➤
My friend Patty and I hit the road in October of 2022 for a tour of the Western Pennsylvania NPS units. The National Parks of Western Pennsylvania (WEPA) includes the following five parks: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield and Friendship Hill National Historic Site.
We decided to start the circuit at the southernmost unit, Friendship Hill, and work our way North. Along the way we also toured a Frank Lloyd Wright UNESCO Heritage Site and Ohiopyle State Park. After Ohiopyle, we began the trek North to Flight 93.
Flight 93 National Memorial➤
The Flight 93 National Memorial commemorates the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, which was one of four aircraft hijacked during the September 11 attacks in 2001. It honors the 40 passengers and crew of Flight 93. They stopped the terrorists from reaching their target, the US Capitol Building, by fighting the hijackers.
The concrete and glass visitor center sits on a hill overlooking the crash site and the white marble Wall of Names. The observation platform at the visitor center and the white marble walls align beneath the path of Flight 93.
We perused the multimedia exhibits inside. It was very emotional for us to relive that day. Most of our immediate experience in 2001 was with the destruction of the Twin Towers in New York. The Flight 93 Memorial filled in the gaps for us.
From the visitor center, we walked the .7 mile trail to the Wall of Names. The trails winds through wildflower meadows on what used to be farmland. The white marble wall follows the flight path to the wood ceremonial gate. The impact site and final resting place of the victims lie just beyond the gate.
Western PA Posts➤
- Fallingwater
- Friendship Hill
- Fort Necessity
- Mount Washington Tavern
- Ohiopyle
- Flight 93
- Flight 93 Tower
- Johnstown Flood
- Allegheny Portage
Location: 6424 Lincoln Hwy, Stoystown, PA 15563
Designation: National Memorial
Date designated/established: September 24, 2002
Date of my visit: October 9, 2022
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