Fire Control Tower # 23 - Cape May Point, NJ
Posted by: 
Ernmark
N 38° 56.605 W 074° 58.020
18S E 502859 N 4310498
Abandoned Observation Tower built in 1942 and used during World War II to protect Southern New Jersey & the Delaware Bay - now in the process of undergoing restoration.
Waymark Code: WM4TTY
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 09/29/2008
Views: 30
These towers didn't actually have gun emplacements - they were used in conjunction with other nearby towers to observe & triangulate the positions of enemy vessels. The towers ranged from 39 to 75 feet high and consisted of concrete walls 1 foot thick.
In order to determine the location of a 'hostile' vessel, the coordinates of the lines of sight between 2 different towers were noted & given to the battery commander. The angles were then plotted in relation to the known distance between the two towers to form a triangle (triangulation) to determine the angle & direction of artillery fire.
Construction of these towers took place from 1939 to 1942, with the intention of the buildings having a 20-year lifespan. Quite a few of these buildings remain over 60 years later. 11 stand on the Delaware shore and 2 remain near Cape May, New Jersey.
Note - according to the numbering system in use on the DE side of the Bay, the towers in NJ were labeled 9 & 11. On the NJ side there were additional towers in North Wildwood & Wildwood Crest which have since been torn down.
Street address:
Sunset Boulevard, Lower Township
Cape May Point, NJ United States
08212
County / Borough / Parish: Cape May County
Year listed: 2003
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event - World War II
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Defense
Current function: Vacant/Not In Use
Privately owned?: no
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2008 To: 12/31/2008
Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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