Portland Observatory
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The Portland Observatory was built in 1807 in Portland, Maine. It is the last remaining maritime signal tower in the United States.
Portland has a deep harbor sheltered by numerous islands. Ships entering the harbor are not visible from the wharfs, which created problems for merchants trying to prepare for the arrival of cargoes. This problem was solved in 1807 when Captain Lemuel Moody organized the construction of an observatory on Portland's Munjoy Hill, visible from both the open ocean and the wharfs. During the War of 1812 the observatory was used as a watch tower.
The 86-foot (26 m) tall observatory (7 stories) is octagonal and lighthouse-shaped, with a fieldstone base, and stands 222 feet (68 m) above sea level. The observatory's 'lantern' (cupola) included a P & J Dolland Achromatic Refracting Telescope, which could identify ships 30 miles (48 km) to sea. That telescope disappeared from the Observatory in 1939.
The observatory has been renovated numerous times over the years, including a Works Progress Administration renovation in 1939. It was most recently renovated from 1998-2000 to repair damage from moisture and powderpost beetles. The latest renovation won a 2001 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The observatory was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. In 2006 the observatory was made a National Historic Landmark.[1]
[edit] References
- Moulton, John K. (2000). Captain Moody and His Observatory. Mount Joy Publishing. 99-091647.
