9-11 Memorial
On a gray, rainy day on October 12, 2011 a beam from the World Trade Center made its way to Chili, NY completing its final journey arriving at Chili Fire Department Co. #1, 3231 Chili Avenue, Rochester, NY. The journey began when three firefighters from the Chili Fire Department headed to NYC where the World Trade Center artifacts where being stored in a JFK Airport hangar. Located in the hanger was a one-ton beam, 18’ long "H" which is believed to be located somewhere above the 60th floor from the North Tower. The department worked two years to obtain this beam to bring it back to the Chili Fire Department to be a part of a memorial for its final resting place in Chili’s history. This 9-11 memorial honors and remembers all those who lost their lives in that fateful day on September 11, 2001. The Chili Fire Department established a 9-11 Committee, which developed a site plan for the memorial which began construction in the fall of 2013. In May 2014, almost three years later, the site was completed. If not for all of the generous contributions from fund raising, Chili residents and local businesses donating their time and resources, the memorial would not have been made possible. On Saturday, June 21, 2014 the site was opened to the public for anyone to come and view the beam at its final resting site. The Chili Fire Department hosted an official dedication ceremony on Thursday, September 11, 2014. Every year since that dedication, the Chili Fire Department hosts a memorial service open to the public to remember the events of September 11, 2001. The memorial is open to the community to visit at anytime.