FORT JENNINGS, OH (WLIO) - Every year Fort Jennings celebrates the history and sacrifices of our nation's veterans and first responders, and new to Fort Fest this year is a traveling 9/11 museum. Bethany Ulrick tells us more.
Now through Sunday, Fort Jennings will be packed with people coming out to enjoy food, raffles, kids activities, and most importantly, learn more about the lives of the men and women responsible for making our country what it is today. New to the festival this year is the 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, in front of the Fort Jennings Fire Department. The free 1,100-square-foot display brings the stories of that day to life in a way that few get to experience without traveling to new york.
"We've got timestamped signage of everything that happened that day and every artifact, relic, that you see in here has a story and we love to share those stories with everyone that comes in. Then when you go in our very back room, we actually call it our foundation room, because that's where we talk about the foundation, you see the names of the heroes we lost. It really puts it in perspective," said Billy Puckett, field manager and Tunnel to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit.
What makes the exhibit especially unique is that the tours are conducted by retired new york firefighters who lived and worked through the terrorist attack. One special story they share is that of Stephen Siller, a firefighter who was headed home when the towers were struck, but put his gear back on and gave his life to join rescue efforts.
"To go from his firehouse in Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan where the towers stood, you had to go through the Brooklyn battery tunnel. It was closed because when the north tower was attacked, every bridge, tunnel, and subway instantly shut down. Stephen got out, laid the keys to his truck on his front seat, put on all his firefighting gear, and he ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to meet his squad at the south tower," added Puckett.
Countless more displays and reenactors throughout the festival pay tribute to our nation's armed forces, and the rich military history of Fort Jennings and Putnam County. You'll find weaponry, vehicles, camps, and medic stations, and demonstrations showing what life was like for soldiers from several wars. 18-12 reenactors will also have their own realistic campsites and interactive experiences to teach people about life for early Putnam County residents.
For a full schedule of events, visit https://fjfortfest.com/.
