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| In 1943 construction on a seven floor tower on the South Side of Prouts Neck started in Scarborough Maine for the defense of Casco Bay during WW2. The tower had four observation levels and a Anti Aircraft Post on top of the tower. It was designed to look like a lighthouse and is the most interesting tower built in Maine due to the strange design. The tower had many strange features including a balcony and four observation levels which is not usually found in a Fire Control tower. It was used for the 6 inch gun battery at [[Cape Elizabeth MR]] as well as [[Peaks Island MR]] and [[Jewell Island MR]]. Many of these towers were located along Maines coast. The tower was in operation until 1945 when it was sold back to the town and sat unused. In 2004 a new property owner purchased the tower along with a house and wanted to demolish them. Despite the towns best efforts the landowner had the full right to destroy the tower and onlookers watched as a massive crane knocked it down. No other tower in the US was built like this one. Today it is on private property and not open to the public.<gallery perrow="10">
| | Loc. 157 Prout's Neck was a WWII Fire Control site on Prout's Neck in Scarborough ME. |
| </gallery>All images courtesy Prouts Neck Historical Society.<gallery>
| | [[File:Prouts Neck Fire Control Tower Demolition.jpg|thumb|208x208px|Demolition 2004]] |
| File:Prouts Neck Tower Construction 1943.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|1943 Construction
| | [[File:Prouts Neck Fire Control Tower.jpg|left|thumb|224x224px|ca 1990s]] |
| File:View of the tower.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Side Of The Tower
| | A seven story Fire Control Tower was built in 1943 on a .23-acre government owned parcel with four base-end stations for [[Peaks Island MR|Battery Steele]] (DPF), [[Fort Levett|Battery Foote]] (DPF), [[Peaks Island MR|Battery Cravens]] (DPF), and [[Cape Elizabeth MR|Battery 201]] (DPF). On the roof was AAIS OP 3. The tower was disguised as a lighthouse and is one of the more unique stations built in the country. A barracks for the crew was built behind the tower and on the shore was Searchlight #3. After the war the tower was sold off. The tower sat unused until 2004 when the property changed hands. The new owner wanted to demolish the tower and adjacent house. Despite the best efforts of the town, the tower was demolished later that year. |
| File:Main entrance PN.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Tower Entrance
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| File:Back of Prouts Neck Tower.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Rear Of The Tower
| | [https://web.archive.org/web/20260510125823/https://www.sunjournal.com/2004/11/01/destruction-begins-wwii-military-tower/ Article About the Towers Demolition] |
| File:Rear of Prouts Neck Tower.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|From the Road
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| File:1st Floor Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|First Floor
| | === SOURCES and REFERENCES === |
| File:Prouts Neck Stairs PN.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Stairs
| | [https://proutsneckhistory.org/ Prouts Neck Historical Society] |
| File:Prouts Neck Stairway.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|The Stairs Built Around The Shape Of The Tower
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| File:Prouts Neck Stairs.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Another Staircase
| | Portland Projects 1944 Annex |
| File:Original Windows Prouts Neck Tower.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Original Windows
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| File:3rd Floor Ladder Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Wooden Ladder to 4th Floor
| | [https://www.cdsg.org Coast Defense Study Group] |
| File:Instrument Pedestal Prouts Neck Tower.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|DPF Mount
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| File:Wooden Ladder Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Another Wooden Ladder
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| File:Prouts Neck Observation Level.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Observation Level
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| File:Electric Wiring Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Electrical Wiring
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| File:Balcony Door Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|6th Floor Balcony Door
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| File:Balcony Entrance 6th Floor Prouts Neck.jpg
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| File:Prouts Neck Balcony.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|6th floor Balcony To Woods
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| File:Land from the top of the Prouts Neck Tower Balcony.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Balcony
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| File:Ocean from the Prouts Neck Balcony.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Balcony View Towards The Ocean
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| File:6th Floor Balcony PN.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Balcony Entrance 6th Floor
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| File:Another wooden ladder. Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|4th To 5th Floor Ladders
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| File:5th Floor Wooden Ladder.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|5th To 6th Floor Ladder
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| File:Timer Bell Mount PN.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Timer Bell Mount
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| File:6th to 7th floor ladder.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Metal Ladder To The 7th Floor
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| File:Mounting Pedestal PN.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Another DPF Mount
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| File:Prouts Neck 7th Floor.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|7th Floor Chimney
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| File:Anti Aircraft Post Entrance.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Anti Aircraft Crows Nest
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| File:Anti Aircraft Entrance.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Anti Aircraft Observation
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| File:Chimney Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Top Of The Tower Chimney
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| File:1960 Newspaper Clipping Prouts Neck.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Newspaper Clipping About The Tower
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| File:Prouts Neck Fire Control Tower Demolition.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|Beginning Of Demolition 2004
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| File:Prouts Neck Fire Control Tower Demolition 2004.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|6th Floor Demolition
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| File:Prouts Neck Fire Control Tower Destroyed.jpg|alt=Colorized J. Malcolm 2022|5th Floor Demolition
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| File:Prouts Neck FCT.jpg|Prouts Neck FCT J.P. Wysong 1996
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| </gallery>All images colorized by J. Malcolm 2022. Except the demolition pictures.
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| Research courtesy Prouts Neck Historical Society
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| [[Category:Harbor Defenses of Portland]] | | [[Category:Harbor Defenses of Portland]] |