The city of Colorado Springs is holding a slate of memorials and observances Friday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — a milestone that reshaped the city’s mission in national defense and continues to inform local commemorations.
From Cold War watch to homeland defense
Officials note that personnel at the North American Aerospace Defense Command station in Cheyenne Mountain shifted from Cold War exercises to real-time emergency operations on Sept. 11, 2001, coordinating fighter scrambles and participating in the nationwide grounding of commercial flights. The attacks led to an enduring change in mission priorities and helped catalyze the establishment of U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base in 2002, cementing Colorado Springs’ role in homeland defense and civil support.
“We remember. We have the Watch,” NORAD and U.S. Northern Command spokesperson Col. Dave Herndon said in a statement marking the anniversary.
Public commemorations across the city
Organizers have scheduled at least seven events throughout the day to honor those killed, recognize those who answered the call and acknowledge family members and others forever changed by the attacks. The calendar includes early-morning first responder gatherings, school memorials and public ceremonies featuring recovered World Trade Center steel.
- 6:30 a.m. — First responders gather at the Manitou Incline for a climb beginning before 6:46 a.m. to mark the moment American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower.
- 6:30–7:30 a.m. — A memorial at Monument Fire Station 1 timed to the attacks on the Twin Towers.
- 8:00 a.m. — Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center ceremony followed by a free community food distribution in the upper lot of the Norris Penrose Event Center.
- 9:45 a.m. — Mitchell High School’s annual commemoration honoring alum Kathryn Yancey LaBorie, a flight attendant killed aboard United Flight 175.
- 11:00 a.m.–noon — University of Colorado Colorado Springs lowers its flag and walks to the campus 9/11 memorial for a wreath-laying and moment of silence.
- 3:00 p.m. — International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial at Memorial Park, where honor guards will present and recovered World Trade Center steel will be displayed; remarks will include reflections on CSFD Capt. Patrick Rogacki’s deployment to Ground Zero and his later death from a 9/11-related illness.
“We remember. We have the Watch,” NORAD and USNORTHCOM spokesperson Col. Dave Herndon said in a statement.
Schedule at a glance
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | First responder climb | Manitou Incline |
| 6:30–7:30 a.m. | Twin Towers memorial | Monument Fire Station 1 |
| 8:00 a.m. | Community ceremony and food distribution | Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center / Norris Penrose Event Center |
| 9:45 a.m. | School commemoration | Mitchell High School |
| 11:00 a.m.–noon | Wreath-laying, moment of silence | UCCS campus 9/11 memorial |
| 3:00 p.m. | IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial | Memorial Park |
The events are free and open to the public. Several include ceremonial elements — honor guards, wreath-layings and the display of recovered steel from the World Trade Center — that organizers say are intended to connect the community to the national memory of the day and to honor the service of first responders and military personnel.
For many in Colorado Springs, the anniversary is both a moment of remembrance and a reminder of the city’s expanded responsibilities in national and civil defense since 2001. Local military and defense installations continue to play an integral role in coordinating responses to threats within North America, and Friday’s observances are expected to draw public safety leaders, veterans’ organizations and local officials.
Residents seeking to attend should check with individual event organizers for start times and any registration requirements for specific gatherings, such as the Manitou Incline climb, which has a posted reopening time for the general public later in the morning.
