Today marks a quarter century since life in America changed. The September 11th terrorist attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania are still remembered. Senator Mike Rounds watched on t-v with his business partner as passenger jets were flown into the World Trade Towers in New York.
The attacks ultimately led to Rounds in his run for Governor. “At that time, John Thune was planning on running for governor of South Dakota,” said Rounds. “And after September 11th, the president asked John if he would run for the United States Senate instead. And in September of that year, after 9-11, John announced down here in Murdo, South Dakota that he would run for the United States Senate.”
While not directly impacted on September 11th, 2001, the impacts are still felt in South Dakota today.
After the attacks, a piece of the World Trade Center’s steel was gifted to all 50 states. South Dakota’s 9-11 Memorial is in the southeast corner of Hilger’s Gulch at the corner of Church Street and Governors Drive.