2. Original World Trade Center Subway Door Tagged by First Responders

After E and C train straphangers pass through the turnstiles of the World Trade Center subway stop — before they enter into the modern arches of the Oculus — they first walk through the last remains of the original World Trade Center subway concourse and past a door tagged by 9/11 first responders, probably without even noticing.
Heading through the metallic doors into the entranceway of the station, commuters walk over the same travertine floors, under the same signs and up the same ramp as commuters who entered the WTC complex before the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001. This entranceway is comprised of the last surviving pieces of the original 1970s WTC subway concourse.

The most poignant reminder of the former World Trade Center and the tragic events of 9/11 is a door, which was deliberately retained, that stands out from the rest due to its bright orange, graffiti-like markings. A sign on the door’s encasement decodes the marks, which were made by search and rescue teams in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. On the door, first responders used spray paint to indicate the date the area was searched (9/13/01), the condition of the area (X, meaning dangerous) and which agency performed the evaluation, in this case the Massachusetts Task Force 1 of FEMA (MATF 1).