Lauren's Garden, Houston, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Lauren's Garden is a small memorial garden in Market Square Park in downtown Houston, Texas. It honours Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, and remembers all the victims of that day. It is a quiet corner of one of Houston's oldest public spaces.

The story behind it

Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas was 38 when she boarded Flight 93. After the plane was hijacked, she used an onboard phone to call her husband, Jack, and left a message on his answering machine saying there was a little problem with the plane. Passengers on the flight tried to take back control, and the plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

The garden was created in her memory in Market Square Park, with a bronze bust of her and the date of her death. The bust is easy to pass without a second look, which is part of why the garden rewards a slower walk through the park.

What to look for

• The bronze bust of Lauren, a modern piece that stands out among the older history of the square.
• The date of her death on the memorial, which tells you what the garden is about once you notice it.
• The planting and seating around the memorial, which make it a place to stop rather than hurry through.
• The wider park around you, with downtown Houston's buildings rising on every side of the square.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the garden itself, longer if you want to explore the rest of Market Square Park.
• Morning and late afternoon are usually calmer and cooler, which matters in Houston's summer heat.
• The garden is outdoors in a public park, so there is no need to go inside anywhere. Check the park's current schedule if events are planned.
• Downtown restaurants, bars and other historic spots are within easy walking distance, so it fits well into a wider stroll.

See it on a quest

Haunted Houston: The Cramer Haunting passes Lauren's Garden on foot as one stop on a longer route through downtown. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look closely at details like the bust and the memorial. The theme is Houston's haunted side, and one ticket covers the whole group.