The Freedom Tower's 1st Stone

July 4, 2004 – The first and central stone of the Freedom Tower was laid today at Ground Zero.

The 20-ton granite block stone was uncovered by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York State Governor George Pataki and New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey in a ceremony witnessed by thousands of spectators. The stone has an inscription that reads: "to honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom”.

During the ceremony, Michael Bloomberg said: "The war on terror that we now fight requires courage, and our freedoms are the source of that courage."

Also speaking were Gov. Pataki, Gov. McGreevey, the tower’s developer Larry Silverstein and Julian Davis, a 13-year-old child, who lost his father, a Port Authority police officer, on September 11, 2001. 

After the ceremony, the stone was raised by a crane and put into place in celebration of 228 years of the independence.  

The dark granite slab was cut from the bedrock of the Adirondack Mountains and will remain visible for the next 8 to 10 months, after which it will be covered by the construction of the tower's foundation.  

The Freedom Tower will be the central piece of the new complex that will replace the Twin Towers and it will be the highest structure of the world. It is expected to be finished in 2009.

© EasyNewYorkCity/Marcelo Papa