Remembering September 11, 2001

The night before, Michael Jackson performed his 30^th Anniversary Special at Madison Square Garden and Yankees fans were disappointed when the game with their biggest rivalry, the Boston Red Sox, was rescheduled due to rain. The next morning, of course, was gorgeous.

That day, September 11, 2001, people all over New York City made their way to work humming Billie Jean and crossing their fingers against another rainout in the last moments of “life before.” Then, between 8:46 and 10:03 AM EST, four planes crashed into our beloved Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a field in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, over 2,500 lives were lost and countless others were irrevocably changed in the worst terrorist attack in United States history.

Eleven years later, the construction is humming on the site of the new World Trade Center and the Freedom Tower is standing tall over the Wall Street area as it nears completion. Life in NYC is back to normal … but it’s a new normal for those of us who remember the days after, when the streets were quiet and we all took a little extra time to check in with everyone we passed.

Our new normal is one in which we love our city more than ever and take tremendous pride in honoring New York’s rich history, and her future, with people from all over the world. Join us for a Wall Street Walks tour and let us share a little bit of our New York City with you. Click here to learn more: https://www.wallstreetwalks.com/tours_main.html

Summer in New York City

Summer in New York is such an exciting time. The days are long, the nights are cool and the city is bursting at the seams with exciting, fun outdoor activities to suit every taste imaginable.

If you’re in the city and looking for a way to celebrate the warm weather – may we suggest a Wall Street Walks tour? Not only is it amazing to stroll around the bustling streets of New York, you can visit the celebrated landmarks where America was born. Learn how an 18th century bazaar became the greatest financial center of the world. Walk in the footsteps of America’s forefathers and stand in the shadow of the rebirth of Ground Zero.

Another one of our favorite NY summertime activities is the River To River Festival held in locations across Lower Manhattan. Kicking off on June 17, the 2012 River To River Festival will host hundreds of events including live music, theater, dance and other cultural happenings through July 15.

This summer, treat yourself to a real downtown New York experience. Explore the rich and exciting history of the Wall Street Area then enjoy one of the great River To River Festival shows. Make a day of it … you’ll be glad you did!

Ground Zero, the World Trade Center site and the 9/11 Memorial

With the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks fast approaching, we thought it might be time to highlight the activity at the World Trade Center, Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial site. The construction of the Freedom Tower is well underway, and the dedication of the Memorial will take place on September 11th of this year. The Memorial will open to the public on September 12. Since we are leading tours downtown several times each week, we have a unique opportunity to document the construction.

Wall Street Walks Stops at Ground Zero and One World Trade Center

The Freedom Tower on the left rises majestically above the skyline.

One of the west side stops on all Wall Street Walks guided walking tours of downtown Manhattan is Ground Zero. The vantage point shown in these photos is just about the best view of the construction that is happening at Ground Zero: across the avenue, on the patio just above the Cortlandt Street R train stop. The huge building that is being constructed to replace the Twin Towers is commonly referred to as the Freedom Tower, but is currently called One World Trade Center, or "1 WTC."

Wall Street Walks tour stop at Ground Zero.

The Freedom Tower will rise 1776 feet above the ground when finished. Construction is currently about one third complete, with a projected completion date of 2014. Above you can see Annaline, the tour guide in the light blue shirt, talking to her tour group about the history and the future of the World Trade Center site.

Construction of One World Trade Center as of June 2011.

If you'd like to enhance your own visit to New York City with the help and expertise of a local, book tickets for a Wall Street Walks guided walking tour by clicking here. With a focus on the history of downtown NYC and the Financial District, Wall Street Walks tours offer insight into what makes New York City tick.