Memorial along Lake Street honors Wayzata native Gordy Aamoth Jr., victims and first responders
WAYZATA, Minn. — Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Wayzata’s 9/11 Memorial at Panoway on Wayzata Bay continues to provide a place for the community to remember those who were lost.
Located near Broadway and Lake Street, the memorial honors the victims, survivors and first responders of 9/11, with a special connection to Wayzata native Gordon “Gordy” Aamoth Jr., who was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center.
Aamoth was working on the 104th floor of the South Tower when the building was struck and later collapsed. His family worked with the community to ensure the Wayzata memorial would recognize not only Gordy, but all those affected by the attacks.
The memorial was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2021, marking the 20th anniversary of the attacks. Its design includes a grove of nine paper birch trees and two long granite elements intended to evoke both the number 11 and the silhouette of the Twin Towers.
The memorial also incorporates artifacts connected to the World Trade Center and was designed as a quiet place where visitors can sit, look toward Lake Minnetonka and reflect.
The documentary below tells the story of the memorial and Minnesotans whose lives were directly touched by Sept. 11.
The memorial stands within the Birch Grove at Panoway, just east of Broadway Plaza.
