Last Maritime Signal Tower - Portland, ME
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 43° 39.930 W 070° 14.897
19T E 399359 N 4835478
The ONLY REMAINING to me means last. But was also among the first, as it signaled the arrival of ships and goods new to the city.
Waymark Code: WMKBK4
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 03/15/2014
Views: 10
County of tower: Cumberland County
Location of tower: 138 Congress St., Munjoy Hill, Portland
Marker erected by: National park Service, United States Department of the Interior
Date marker erected: 2006
Marker Text:
PORTLAND OBSERVATORY
has been designated a
NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKThis site posses national significance in commemorating the history of the United States of America
This observatory is the nation's
only remaining maritime signal tower. It served as a communication station for Portland's bustling harbor from 1807 to 1923, announcing the arrival o0f ships with a unique system of colorful flags.
The Portland Observatory is an octagonal structure that stands 86 feet high from the top of the hill. It was designed by Captain Lemuel Moody, and it was built in 1807 at the cost of $ 5,000 (about $ 92,000 in today's dollars). There is a wooden model on display in the observatory that shows the inner structure of the observatory, clearly showing the octagonal shape.