Remembering September 11th, 2001

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Every year, this date brings with it memories of a few familiar phrases: Never Forget, and “United We Stand.”

But remembering is personal.

This year marks 25 years since September 11th, 2001. A quarter of a century has passed, yet for those of us who lived through that day, many of the memories remain remarkably clear. We remember where we were, who we were with, what we saw, what we heard, and the moment we realized something was terribly wrong. Even after all these years, certain details remain fixed in our minds.

Our experiences of September 11th were different, as were the ways we understood what was happening around us. But like millions of Americans, we each carry a story from that day and from the days that followed.

Today, we wanted to share our memories.

Not because our experiences were extraordinary, but because remembering September 11th also means remembering it through the individual lives it touched. These are our memories of September 11th, 2001.

Bethany:

Some pieces of that day are very clear to me, but some details are completely missing. I was 16 and a junior in high school. I know I was taking a test in Honors US History with Mr. Karl that morning when the first plane hit. But I don’t remember how I found out, or who even told us. I do remember watching the news live in my 3rd period CPR/First Aid class next to my friend Julie. I remember we were all silent and we watched the towers fall. It didn’t seem real. We were all glued to the TVs all day and night just trying to understand what was going on. Just consuming every bit of information we could.

Most of what follows in my memories is just the feelings. Shock, sadness, confusion, fear. We were just 20 minutes from Wright-Patt and there were rumors that the base was a target because it was so important. In the following days, I remember being in the Dollar Tree in Kettering with my mom and sister and one of them heard the sonic boom of a low-flying jet and everyone was terrified.

But mostly, I also remember the unity we all felt. Nobody cared if you were popular, an outcast, a jock, a brain, a theater kid, a marching band kid…we were all just American teenagers. We were all just trying to understand. It seems silly, but one of my clearest memories was that in my Economics class a month or two later, we had to market, produce, and sell something in the cafeteria and because the patriotic sentiment was running so strong at that time, we braided pieces of red, white, and blue bandanas into keychains and sold them. We sold out quickly and won the competition between Economics classes.

Sara:

I was in my US History class when the first plane hit. I remember distinctly watching the clock and counting the minutes until the next class. I was completely unaware and went on to my next class, which was Sculpture and Ceramics. The teacher from the art room next door came in and told my teacher to turn on her TV, a plane had just hit the Pentagon. We turned on the TV thinking it was a terrible accident, having no idea what else we would learn.

I watched in horror as footage played of planes hitting the World Trade Center Towers. I was a 15-year-old sophomore watching real people die on TV. In every class after that, we watched the TV for any updates. Our school principal, Dr. McAtee, announced that we need to continue with classes, so we didn’t let the terrorists win, as if drawing Punnett squares in 4th period biology would defeat them.

By the end of the day, rumors had circulated that Wright-Patt Air Force Base was next to be bombed. My dad worked there, and I remember rushing home after I got off the school bus that afternoon so I could call him (cell phones were not common then). I was so relieved to see his car parked out front as I rushed up the street to my house. The base had sent home all non-essential personnel and my dad explained to me that it was restricted air space, so the base would be immediately on defense if any aircraft flew overhead, especially then.

In the days after 9/11, people who never watched the news (including me) came home every day and turned it on. People became patriotic where before they hadn’t been. Lee Greenwood’s song, “God Bless the USA” played on every radio station and on TV specials.

Where were you on 9/11? What do you remember about that day?

Flooding in the Miami Valley

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Every time we experience flash flooding or excessive rain in the Dayton area, we see the comments on social media asking if we are going to flood again. We think it may be necessary to post about the Miami Conservancy District again, to inform Dayton of the measures put in place over 100 years ago

The Miami Conservancy District was organized in 1915, in response to the Great Dayton Flood (in 1913). The MCD built levees, straightened the river channel, and built 5 dams to control flooding in the Miami Valley. The Miami Conservancy District was the first major watershed district in the nation. The district and its projects are unusual in that they were funded almost entirely by local tax initiatives.

The small village of Osborn, Ohio had little damage from the flood, but experienced issues from its aftermath. The village was located directly in the path of the new Huffman flood plain. The citizens of Osborn decided not to abandon their home, but instead, decided to move their homes to just outside Fairfield, Ohio. Years later, the two towns merged, and changed their name to Fairborn, Ohio.

The 5 dams built to control flooding are:

  • Englewood Dam – Regulates the flow of the Stillwater River into the Great Miami River
  • Germantown Dam – Regulates the flow of the Twin Creek into the Great Miami River
  • Huffman Dam – Regulates flow of Mad River into Great Miami River
  • Lockington Dam – Regulates flow of Loramie Creek into Great Miami River
  • Taylorsville Dam – Regulates the Great Miami River

More Unsolved Facts

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Continuing our sharing of facts Sara found while writing her newest book Unsolved Dayton, here are some more!

  • January 26, 2009 – Leonard Hatton was shot in the head during what appeared to be a robbery in his home on Farr Avenue.
  • July 11, 1893 – 14 year old Anna Worl died in her mother’s arms after being shot by a stray bullet. She was leaning on a broom inside her home, in line with shots fired by Charles Bohes and Frank Engle. Both men were arrested but after investigation it was determined the bullet that struck Anna did not come from their guns. Both men were firing their guns from the east. The bullet came from an unidentified shooter from the West. The shooter has never been identified.
  • March 24, 2023 – Destiny Mills was in her apartment when several bullets were fired through her wall and door. Destiny was struck in the chest. Others in the apartment were not injured by any of the bullets. The shooter left the scene before police arrived.
  • August 6, 2003 – James “Tony” Gordon was shot while attempting to leave as he was being carjacked. His nephew in the car was not shot.
  • May 25, 1992 – Jennifer Causey was stabbed to death and her face was slashed. Her body was left in a junkyard near Orleans and Albany Streets.
  • August 9, 1974 – Dalton Smith was shot and killed in a bar after briefly speaking to a man. The man then pulled out a gun, shot Dalton, then fled out the back door.
  • February 9, 2008- Heather Smith was last seen with a friend at Sam’s Market on E Third Street. Her body was later discovered in a trash can a half mile from Sam’s Market in April.

Upcoming Events – Summer/Fall 2026

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With Summer winding to a close, why not enjoy a few more festivals? Here’s a list of some upcoming events in the area:

  • August 14 – 16: Dayton Germanfest Picnic
  • August 14 – 20: Miami County Fair
  • August 15-16: Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival
  • August 15: Art in the City Dance Pop-up – Dayton Metro Library
  • August 15-16: Dayton African American Festival
  • August 29-30: Xenia Monster Truck Wars

Beaver’s Mini Mart vs Goliath  

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You’ve probably heard by now about the lawsuit Buc-ee’s filed against Beaver’s Mini Mart on Hanes Road in Beavercreek. Buc-ee’s claimed in the suit that Beaver’s Mini Mart’s Logo of a cartoon beaver would cause confusion for customers.

The nearest Buc-ee’s is 16 miles from the Beaver’s Mini Mart location in the middle of a city that has been using beaver iconography for decades via school mascots, team logos, business advertisements and more. The small convenience store has no gas pumps, no public bathrooms, and a logo that looks nothing similar.

Many want to help support this small business. Here are a few ways to do so:

  • Shop at their store – 1592 Hanes Road, Beavercreek, 45434
  • Support their GoFundMe
  • Buy Beaver Mini Mart shirts from CincyShirts.com
  • Buy Beaver Mini Mart Cookies from The Original Goodie Shop. Stop by their store at 2116 Tremont Center, Upper Arlington, 43221 or call 614-488-8777
  • Buy Beaver’s Mini Mart merch from Teepublic

Please note, there is a lot of misinformation going around about the ownership of the Beaver’s Mini Mart. We ask that you do your due dilligence and your own research before forming your opinion, or having a negative reaction to their plight.

Unsolved Facts

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Coming to 2027, Sara’s next book, Unsolved Dayton, will cover unsolved cases from Dayton’s history. There will be cases you’ve heard about, and ones you haven’t. In honor of finishing Unsolved Dayton, here are a few unsolved tidbits that did not make the book:
  • August 17, 1913 – An unidentified man was found in the Miami River with no identification and multiple knife wounds. Police believed he may have been Romanian, but gave no other identifying information.
  • December 29, 1989 – Karen Spencer got out of the car along i-275 after an argument with her sister in law. She was last seen walking away from the car. The driver of a red 1982 Datsun was questioned in connection with her disappearance
  • January 15, 2023 – Jack Flohre was last seen on Ingram Street. At the time of his disappearance, he was known to struggle with addiction and mental health issues.
  • September 7, 1993 – Lamar Dozier was playing video games with friends when he was shot in the stomach and stabbed several times in the chest. He lived for a few weeks before succumbing to hi injuries

Gem City’s Most Haunted Podcast

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With most of the major holidays over, the season has started for the most avid of Halloween lovers. Why not put yourself in a spooky mood by listening to WDTN’s podcast titled Gem City’s Most Haunted.

Hosted by Trey Brown, Cameron Cooper, and Avery Lewis, this monthly podcast explores Dayton’s Dark History alongside local authors and paranormal investigators. The series investigates spooky sites, cryptids, and folklore from throughout Dayton. The podcast has included Patterson Homestead, the Dayton Art Institute, and Kettering’s Hills and Dales Tower, among others. You can listen to the full series by checking out Gem City’s Most Haunted WDTN playlist on YouTube. Don’t forget to check out the episode from April 17, 2026 featuring Sara Kaushal!