Portland Observatory
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NorStar
N 43° 39.926 W 070° 14.893
19T E 399364 N 4835470
The Portland Observatory is the only known remaining maritime signal tower in the United States, and raised signals to notify merchants subscribing to the service of the arrival of their ships.
Waymark Code: WM78Q0
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 09/20/2009
Views: 18
?On top of Munjoy Hill that overlooks Casco Bay is a tall, red building that is the Portland Observatory. This building, now a museum owned by the city of Portland and managed by Portland Landmarks, was once a signal tower that alerted merchants at the port of what ships were approaching.
The observatory is at 138 Congress Street in the eastern part of Portland, near the intersection with North Street. Parking is along the road (take note of signs, hydrants, etc.).
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). The structure is unusual, and its design may have contributed to its longevity. The base of the structure is 32 feet across and the deck at the top is 15 feet. Moody employed shipwrights to build the structure. Eight vertical posts run up the corners of the building and are bound together. The foundation has several timbers with approx. 122 tons of rubble to provide resistance to the wind.
Moody sold subscriptions to his service to merchants. For those merchants who subscribed, he looked out on to sea and noted ships that were approaching the port. Once he identified a ship, he would post the identification flags on the observatory for merchants to see down in the port. The service lasted through 1923, later than most of these services in other cities. In addition to the signaling service, Moody also made weather observations and sold them to the local newspaper.
Over times of war from the War of 1812 to World War I, the observatory was used as a watch tower.
The building is now the property of the city of Portland and tours are run by Portland Landmarks.
The building has undergone many renovations over the years. In 1939, the Works Progress Administration restored the tower. In 1994, the tower had major work on it. In the structure, light colored timbers placed in 1994 are visible against dark-stained timbers, worked on in 1939 and before.
The Portland Observatory was recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1936 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and made a National Historic Landmark in 2006. It was also listed as an American Civil Engineering Landmark in 2006.
The Observatory is open from May 23 to October 12, 10 am - 5 pm. There is a guided tour through the tower - allow for about 45 minutes for each tour.
Location:
138 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
Type of structure/site: Observatory
Date of Construction: 1807
Engineer/Architect/Builder etc.: Captain Lemuel Moody
Engineering Organization Listing: American Society of Civil Engineers
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Web Site: [Web Link]
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