The Fairfax Girl Team 
September 11th has a particularly close connection to Northern Virginia. American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon in Arlington on September 11th, 2001, and dozens of Northern Virginia residents were among the 2,977 people killed in the attacks. In the years since, communities throughout the region have created memorial gardens, monuments, displays, + spaces dedicated to remembering the victims and first responders. Read on for a list of September 11th memorials to visit throughout Northern Virginia.
Image credit: Tim Evanson
9/11 Memorials to Visit in Northern Virginia
National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial | 1 North Rotary Road, Arlington
The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is perhaps Northern Virginia’s most significant place to reflect on September 11th. The memorial honors the 184 people who were killed at the Pentagon + aboard American Airlines Flight 77. Each victim is represented by an individual memorial unit engraved with their name, with the benches arranged according to the victims’ ages. The orientation of each bench also indicates whether the person was inside the Pentagon or aboard Flight 77.
Pentagon Group Burial Marker | Arlington National Cemetery, Section 64, Arlington
Another especially meaningful 9/11 memorial can be found inside Arlington National Cemetery. The Pentagon Group Burial Marker is a five-sided granite monument bearing the names of all 184 people who died at the Pentagon + aboard Flight 77. It marks the shared gravesite containing unidentified remains from victims of the attack and sits in Section 64, in the portion of the cemetery closest to the Pentagon
Arlington County Fire Station 5 World Trade Center Steel | 1750 South Hayes Street, Arlington
Arlington County firefighters were among the first emergency personnel to respond when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. A piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center is kept at Arlington County Fire Station 5 in National Landing, where the county has held September 11th remembrance ceremonies + rose-laying ceremonies. Because this is an active fire station rather than a traditional public attraction, visitors should be mindful of emergency operations and access restrictions.
USS Arlington Commemorative Display | Ellen M. Bozman Government Center, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington
Arlington’s connection to September 11th also lives on through the USS Arlington, a U.S. Navy ship named in honor of the 184 victims of the Pentagon attack + the thousands of emergency personnel and community members who responded. A commemorative display, including a model of the ship, was installed in the lobby of the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center in 2023.
Fairfax County 9/11 Memorial Grove | Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
Overlooking the lake at the Fairfax County Government Center, the Fairfax County 9/11 Memorial Grove was created as a living memorial + place for reflection. The grove was designed by National Park Service landscape architect Michael McMahon and includes a circular commemorative plaza, smooth stones representing healing, Virginia-native plants, + red, white, and blue landscaping. The memorial was dedicated in 2003 following the deaths of 53 Fairfax County residents in the September 11th attacks.
September 11th Memorial Grove at Veterans Amphitheater | City Hall, 10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax
The City of Fairfax has its own place of remembrance on the City Hall campus. A memorial grove of trees was dedicated beside Veterans Amphitheater in 2003 to commemorate September 11th. The amphitheater continues to serve as the setting for the city’s remembrance ceremonies, and a piece of World Trade Center steel is displayed during the city’s 25th-anniversary ceremony in 2026.
Great Falls Freedom Memorial | 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls
Located behind the Great Falls Library, the Great Falls Freedom Memorial was created in 2004 to honor members of the community who sacrificed in service to the country. It holds particular significance to September 11th: six Great Falls residents died in the attacks, and six trees at the memorial were planted in their memory. The site includes Freedom Plaza, engraved stones, + a Freedom Walk and hosts an annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony.
Leesburg Freedom Memorial | Freedom Park, 101 Colonel Grenata Circle SE, Leesburg
The Leesburg Freedom Memorial sits near the entrance to Freedom Park and was unveiled on September 11th, 2004. The memorial was created to honor those who died in the 2001 attacks + others who sacrificed in the pursuit of freedom, peace, + justice. Visitors can stop by the memorial during regular park hours, and the town hosts its annual September 11th morning observance here.
Purcellville First Responders’ Memorial | 250 South Nursery Avenue, Purcellville
Purcellville’s First Responders’ Memorial incorporates artifacts from two locations forever connected to September 11th. A steel beam recovered from World Trade Center Tower Two sits atop a base made with stone from a barn near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed. The monument was dedicated on September 11th, 2011 and is the site of Purcellville’s annual remembrance ceremony.
Prince William County 9/11 Liberty Memorial + World Trade Center Steel | 1 County Complex Court, Woodbridge
Prince William County lost 22 residents on September 11th, whose names are etched into the county’s Liberty Memorial. Nearby, visitors can see four massive steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center. Three of the beams lean together at angles meant to resemble fallen steel, while a fourth stands upright. Together, the four pieces weigh almost 60,000 pounds.
Other Places Connected to September 11th in Northern Virginia
Not every local remembrance takes the form of a traditional monument. Northern Virginia also has several smaller commemorative spaces, artifacts, + locations with connections to September 11th that are worth knowing about.
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve | 21085 The Woods Road, Leesburg
Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve became an early community gathering place for September 11th remembrance in Loudoun County. Beginning shortly after the attacks, Loudoun residents gathered on a hillside overlooking Springhouse Pond for the county’s “Seconds of Silence” observance, during which a second of silence was dedicated to each victim. While it isn’t a purpose-built 9/11 monument like the Freedom Memorial in Leesburg, the preserve has a longstanding place in Loudoun’s history of remembering the attacks.
World Trade Center Steel at City of Fairfax Remembrance Programs | 10455 Armstrong Street, Fairfax
The City of Fairfax also has access to an artifact recovered from the World Trade Center. The piece of steel is being displayed at Veterans Amphitheater as part of the city’s 25th-anniversary remembrance ceremony in 2026, providing residents with a tangible connection to Ground Zero.
A Note Before Visiting
Most outdoor memorials can be visited independently, but hours + access can vary. The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, government buildings, + active public safety facilities may have security procedures or temporary restrictions in place. It’s a good idea to check the respective location’s website before heading out, particularly around September 11th when ceremonies + heightened security may affect regular access.
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