Portland Observatory
The Portland Observatory was established in Portland , Maine in 1807 . The tower is a timber lattice tower with a stone foundation. It is the last maritime signal tower in the United States .
Portland has a deep harbor that is protected by numerous islands. The ships using the port are not visible from the hills, creating problems for the merchants trying to prepare for the arrival of the cargoes. This problem was solved in 1807 when Captain Lemuel Moody organized the construction of an observation tower on the Munjoy Hill of Portland, visible from the ocean and from the piers. During the war of 1812 the tower was used as a watchtower. The 26.2 meter high tower with 7 floors is octagonal and stands 68 meters above sea level. The tower's "lantern" included a telescope with which one could see ships 56 kilometers out to sea. This telescope was dismantled in 1939. The tower has been renovated several times.
On April 24, 1973, the Portland Observatory was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a monument . On February 17, 2006, the tower was granted National Historic Landmark status . That same year, Portland Observatory was added to the List of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks by the American Society of Civil Engineers .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Entry in the National Register Information System . National Park Service , accessed June 13, 2016
- ↑ Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: Maine. National Park Service , accessed August 4, 2019.
Coordinates: 43 ° 39 ′ 55.3 " N , 70 ° 14 ′ 53.7" W.