Portland Observatory

[Corey]

Obligatory background information from www.portlandlandmarks.org

It's not a lighthouse! (And it has nothing to do with astronomy.) The Portland Observatory (1807) is the only extant maritime signal station in the United States, and thus a unique architectural icon of maritime shipping and the "Golden Age of Sail." The Portland Observatory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, and became a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

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 Observatory was built at the eastern end of the Portland peninsula on Munjoy Hill, which was a cow pasture at the time. Moody built his home and other buildings near the tower. The complex was replete with banquet and dance halls as well as a bowling alley. From the time it opened in 1807, it was a tourist attraction.

They had a 200th anniversary celebration on Thursday June 14th, 2007 with free admission. It's funny how most of us who live here have never been up it before. I was glad to finally take in the view. The weather started clearing up as the afternoon proceeded, so the view were pretty nice.

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/9035/dsc0439nh2.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/5040/untitled9fg5.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3245/untitled8mi1.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9192/untitled7yc6.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6318/untitled6kx3.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/181/untitled5fe9.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8462/untitled4kz3.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/5266/dsc0805rn1.jpg

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/8084/dsc0817ix2.jpg

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6278/dsc0816rg9.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9909/dsc0815ey5.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/1959/dsc0814rc1.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9749/dsc0812kq7.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/418/dsc0809rx5.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2445/dsc0804pj2.jpg

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/9314/dsc0802qm3.jpg

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/6093/dsc0797mx3.jpg

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/4831/dsc0800mo7.jpg

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/8881/untitled3lh0.jpg


Click me
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/403/dsc0810qh0.jpg

[TheBostonBoy]

wow Corey, thanks for the pictures....These are great, I've never seen Portland like this. It really shows how beautiful it is.

[SHAZBAT73]

Lookin' good! I this is the first time I've seen how the new Hilton and Bangor Savings Bank blend into the Oldport/Marginal Way area. See lots of construction too...always a good thing...Great pics!