In Memoriam — The Oral History of the Twin Towers in Skate Photos, Part 2

Intro + Interviews by Adam Abada
Collage by Requiem For A Screen

It is fitting that there are maybe the most skate photos of the Twin Towers featuring Keith Hufnagel and Harold Hunter: two of the greatest representatives of New York skateboarding.

Revisiting our series from two years ago, here are five more stories behind images of the Twin Towers in skateboarding, including many of Harold and Keith.

Looking into the stories behind them, I learned how essential they were to the fabric of so much of the skateboarding that has come out of the five boroughs. In memoriam photos of the Towers turn into stories about people and eras who shared some form of dual history with them, and in turn, ourselves. They remind us that if anything can be learned from difficult loss, it’s to always make the most of the time given to us. And that can be turned into hope and happiness, at least for a short time.

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Unforgettable — The Oral History of the Twin Towers in Skate Photos

Intro + Interviews by Adam Abada
Header Collage by Requiem For A Screen

The World Trade Center — with its centerpiece, the Twin Towers — opened just a few months before the Knicks won their second championship in 1973, and symbolized a new, modernized era of New York City. As literal twins, the Towers are excellent symbols for the push and pull of capital versus culture which, by the 70s, was really coming to a head in American society. They were the biggest buildings in the world and just one wasn’t even enough.

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Remember

Photo by Matt Weber

Still a surreal day on the calendar every year. Over the years, we have done several posts regarding how that day shaped our tiny corner of New York — An Interview With Zered Bassett About the Vicious Cycle House (several blocks from Ground Zero circa 2002-2003), February 2002 Transworld Article re: 9/11, Twin Towers skate photos, Twin Towers skate clips 1996-2001.

You’re in for an onslaught of recap content throughout the internet, but the Dime Glory Challenge was absolutely brilliant. Forever grateful to be skateboarding on the earth at the same time in history as these brilliant Canadian minds.

Watermelonism has some new embroidered tees and hats.

“What was harder to do: switch big flip Chinatown Double-Set or switch backside flip D7?” NY Skateboarding has a solid interview with Tyshawn Jones, reigning “Did you hear what _____ did?!” king of New York City.

Transworld interviewed Josh Kalis about the greatest kickflip ever done™.

We’re the last ones to continue beating the dead horse of varial flip pontification, but the one (you’ll know which one…) in Sami El Hassani’s all-around brilliant new clip for Pop Trading Company deserves some extra attention.

People began skating the new Harlem skatepark on 114th Street and First Avenue (conveniently located between Haiji’s and Patsy’s) this past week. Looks kinda like Cooper Park tbh. Troy posted a clip from it, but there are a few more floating around.

Yaje Popson warms up with avocados and nollie half cab switch backside 5-0s. No wonder he’s the only native T.F. local with his name on a skateboard ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

People are still pissed about you skating the plaza on 110th and 8th, and hopes for a new Byrdgang video are high in the QS office. Here’s a teaser for Byrdgang 3.

(When is Hijinx 2 dropping though?)

Here’s the raw footage from Dane Baker’s part for Lottie’s Skate Shop.

Jenkem has a Prodigy tribute mix by skateboarding’s official Mobb Deep ambassador.

Four minutes of nollie backside 180 heelflips throughout history.

Vice posted up a deleted scene from Bam’s Epicly Later’d of Kerry and Bam skating Kerry’s backyard ramp in Pennsylvania. Party at my house for the Muska one.

Quote of the Week: “I can’t wear blue, it’s a color.” — Girl Wearing All Black in the Dime Store

Happy belated birthday, Roy Ayers.