2,987 flags line Putty Hill Avenue in Parkville to honor lives lost in Sept. 11 attacks

PARKVILLE, Md. — If you're driving along Putty Hill Avenue in Parkville, you may notice thousands of American flags lining the roadway.

Volunteers placed 2,987 American flags, creating a powerful tribute to every life lost in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Chuck Ritz, founder of the Hope and Peace Foundation, has organized the effort for the past 15 years.

"It's heartwarming to see that we're still continuing to keep the promise to never forget," Ritz said.

Last year, the foundation added 10 flags to honor unborn children whose mothers were pregnant on September 11 and lost their lives in the attacks.

"The 10 unborn children never got an opportunity to take their first steps. So to be able to include them and honor them, whether they had a name or not, it's just important because that was a life that was lost," Ritz said.

WMAR

For Parkville resident and volunteer John Davis, the annual tradition is deeply personal.

"Every 9/11 I come by here and I see the flags," Davis said.

Davis said the tribute carries a dual meaning for him.

"It's in honor to all the people that have passed away because of 9/11 and after 9/11. So, just doing my duty. My wife and I's anniversary is on 9/11, so it's a double thing, you know you remember it, you don't forget it," Davis said.

The tribute extends beyond those killed on September 11. Just steps away, a Field of Honor pays tribute to the 158 Marylanders killed in the Global War on Terrorism since 9/11. It also honors first responders and others exposed to toxic dust and rubble, many of whom continue to suffer from 9/11-related illnesses.

"Who went into the rubble and the Pentagon and Shanksville and just didn't care about their own health or well-being, and they were trying to save people and rescue people, and now they're suffering the cost of that, you know, heroism — it's just very important to include and remember and sadly the death toll will continue to rise through the next few years. We just can't forget them as well," Ritz said.

Three-hundred-fifty-two flags surround the Parkville firehouse in honor of firefighters, EMTs and patrolmen. Seventy-two flags stand in front of the Parkville Police Station honoring law enforcement officers. The remaining 2,562 flags stretch along Putty Hill Avenue.

Here's a list of remembrance events happening across our state.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.