Gordy Aamoth Jr. Memorial Stadium and Spirit Plaza

Gordy Aamoth Jr. (left) was a Minnesota native who lost his life in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. A 1988 Blake graduate, Aamoth had a love of athletics and served as the captain of Blake’s football team, played varsity hockey and participated in several other sports at the school. He brought energy and a passion for teamwork to every group he joined.

On September 11, 2002, Blake dedicated its new stadium (located on the school’s Hopkins campus) to Aamoth, and the adjacent Spirit Plaza was dedicated to all those who died in the attacks on September 11. The construction of the stadium, which seats up to 810 spectators for varsity football and soccer games, was made possible through the united efforts of Aamoth’s family and friends, who come from all corners of the Twin Cities community.

Spirit Plaza features Spirit Rock, nearly 10 tons of dolomitic limestone that was quarried near Mankato, Minn. Its rough, unfinished surface represents the premature ending of so many lives. A 500-pound beam, which was a gift to the Aamoth family from the City of New York, splits the rock. The beam came from 2 World Trade Center (the South Tower) in which Aamoth’s office was located. Originally atop the 110-story building, the beam was one of the first to hit the ground, crashing through the avenue and coming to rest in the subway below while the top remained thrust above street level. The thousands who were lost in the attacks are represented by granite paving stones, resulting in the symbolically incomplete spiral surrounding Spirit Rock.

"Spirit Plaza provides a tangible reminder of our nation’s collective strength and resolve. Though loved ones died and a nation was profoundly altered, our spirit remains intact. In the face of loss, we carry on; following destruction, we remember, and build anew." (From the dedication plaque at Spirit Plaza).