Portland Observatory Maritime Signal Tower (Portland, Maine)

USA / Maine / Portland / Portland, Maine
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Built 1807, Sea captain-turned-entrepreneur, Lemuel Moody (1768-1846), ordered construction of this octagonal, 86 feet-high tower to serve as a communication station for Portland's bustling harbor. With his powerful telescope, Moody identified incoming vessels and then signaled merchants with coded signal flags. "Signalizing" allowed merchants ample time to reserve a berth on the wharves, and to hire a crew of stevedores before a vessel docked.

The tower is open for regular paid tours. The top of the tower commands an excellent 365-degree view of inner Portland.

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Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Observatory
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Coordinates:   43°39'55"N   70°14'53"W
This article was last modified 15 years ago