Sign
- Description
- "THOMAS J. ASHTON WAY" memorial street sign in memory of Thomas J. Ashton. The green sign has a white border with white text.
- Historical Notes
- Born on Long Island, Thomas Ashton lived in Woodside, Queens, with his parents and two sisters. In high school, Thomas played several sports and was captain of the swim team. He worked as a union apprentice electrician for Denino Electric while finishing his college degree. September 11 was his second day on an assignment at the Marsh & McLennan offices, on the North Tower’s 95th floor. He was 21 years old.
Curator's Comment
Following a tradition of renaming streets after native celebrities and heroes, many New York City streets have been designated to memorialize those killed on 9/11. Marking childhood homes as well as places of residence, employment, or recreation associated with the local victim, these street signs weave evidence of 9/11’s impact into the fabric of urban life.
Several hundred street signs throughout all five boroughs now bear names of men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, encompassing first responders as well as civilian victims. Typically, these signs include the victim’s name, rank or company affiliation, and religious symbols or images of the Twin Towers.
Street sign unveiling ceremonies provided opportunities for family, friends, and neighbors in the community to come together and remember a loved one and to demonstrate that the names of individuals killed on 9/11 will not be forgotten.
Often, memorial street signs were made in multiples so that close family members could retain a sign in their homes. Several of these duplicate keepsakes have been donated to the Museum by victims’ relatives.
The locations of such 9/11 memorial street signs can be found by searching the Museum’s Memorials Registry.
Several hundred street signs throughout all five boroughs now bear names of men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, encompassing first responders as well as civilian victims. Typically, these signs include the victim’s name, rank or company affiliation, and religious symbols or images of the Twin Towers.
Street sign unveiling ceremonies provided opportunities for family, friends, and neighbors in the community to come together and remember a loved one and to demonstrate that the names of individuals killed on 9/11 will not be forgotten.
Often, memorial street signs were made in multiples so that close family members could retain a sign in their homes. Several of these duplicate keepsakes have been donated to the Museum by victims’ relatives.
The locations of such 9/11 memorial street signs can be found by searching the Museum’s Memorials Registry.
- Accession Number: C.2011.829.16
- Dimensions: 9 in X 30 in X 0.25 in
- Dimensions (Metric): 22.86 cm X 76.2 cm X 0.635 cm
- Source: John and Kathleen Ashton
- Credit Line: Gift of John and Kathleen Ashton (parents) and Colleen and Mary Ashton (sisters)
All materials made publicly available by the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on this site are intended for research and educational use only. Users may need to obtain other permissions for their intended use(s) and are responsible for determining copyright status and securing these permissions.
To inquire about copyrights and reproductions, contact: xxx@911memorial.org
