The Portland Observatory

The Portland Observatory (1807) is the last remaining maritime signal tower in the United States. The 86 foot high tower was constructed to make Portland's busy harbor more efficient, as signal flags from the tower told local businessmen when their ships were coming in.

The Portland Observatory sits on the highest point in Portland! A sea captain, named Lemuel Moody, built a tower to watch for ships coming into the harbor from a long way off. Lemuel and his son, Enoch, used bright colored signal flags to send messages down to the harbor. They could send out a warning signal if they spotted ships in distress or saw a storm approaching.

Photo 70, Sept 2011

The Portland Observatory

Photo 14s, Aug 2003

The Portland Observatory

Photo 26s, Sept 2002

The Portland Observatory

Photo 25s, Sept 2002