Pulpit Rock Camp

Pulpit Rock Camp was a military reservation for the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth. The site included an eight story Fire control Tower. A steel Fire Control Tower and AMTB Battery 951.

Eight Story FCT

In 1942 construction started on an eight story Fire Control Tower for Fort Dearborn nearby. The seventh story level DPF was designated for Battery 103/Seamen and the eight level DPF was for Battery 204. The roof was used as an Anti Aircraft Spotting station AAIS OP 7. The tower was completed in 1943 on a government owned .44 acre tract. The navy had control over the tower from 1954-1971. The fish and game department has owned the tower since 1974. It was suggested for the national register of historic Places in the 1970s but was not accepted and finally made the list in 2010 after being on the seven to save list in New Hampshire. In 2008 the Friends of Pulpit Rock Tower was formed to preserve the tower. The tower officially opened in 2009 on some holidays and continues to do so. The tower has been under restoration for many years and is still as of 2022. I visited on Memorial day 2023 and the tower is nice on the inside with many displays but I noticed that the DPF mount on the seventh floor is missing! I think it was probably drilled out in the 1970s.

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  Tower from the Highway
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  Tower from AMTB 9451
• Eight Story FCT Pulpit Rock
  Eight Story FCT Pulpit Rock
• Base of the Tower
  Base of the Tower
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  Entrance Steps
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  Electrical Wiring
• Electric Box
  Electric Box
• Electric Box Details
  Electric Box Details
• 1942 Utility Pole
  1942 Utility Pole
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  View of the tower from the beach
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  View of the tower from the Highway
• 2010 National Register of Historic Places Plaque
  2010 National Register of Historic Places Plaque
• Security Gate and Steel Door to the tower
  Security Gate and Steel Door to the tower
• Pot Belly Stove for heat
  Pot Belly Stove for heat
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  Bracket to keep the observation windows open
• Communications junction box below the tower
  Communications junction box below the tower
• Electric Breakers and Fuse Boxes
  Electric Breakers and Fuse Boxes
• First Floor Steps
  First Floor Steps
• This tower has the only spiral stairs in Portsmouth Harbor
  This tower has the only spiral stairs in Portsmouth Harbor
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  Descending steps
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  Reproduction Windows added in 2019
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  Descending stairs from the sixth floor
• Chart table
  Chart table
• Electrical equipment on the sixth floor
  Electrical equipment on the sixth floor
• Seventh floor ladder
  Seventh floor ladder
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  Observers Chair for the seventh floor
• View out the seventh floor windows
  View out the seventh floor windows
• Eighth floor observation windows facing Portsmouth Harbor
  Eighth floor observation windows facing Portsmouth Harbor
• File:PRMRINT (42) 15.jpg
• AAIS OP 7 Crows Nest
  AAIS OP 7 Crows Nest
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  Ladder to the crows nest
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  The tower from the parking area

Steel FCT

In 1942 on a separate tract of land a steel FCT was built near the main tower and used for Battery 205 and the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth. This tower was dismantled around 1953 and the cab was built of corrugated aluminum.

File:PR MR (24).jpg

Steel FCT Locale

Battery AMTB 951

Built in 1942, AMTB Battery 951 was operated as part of Fort Dearborn nearby. The battery was deactivated in 1946 and abandon. Around 1962 the Coastal roadway was expanded which would cover the second AMTB emplacement so it was destroyed and disposed of near the other remaining emplacement. Its remains can still be found on the beach. The area where emplacement one is located became a parking lot and the mounting screws for the guns were grinded down. Over the years emplacement one has been damaged by cars driving over it. Emplacement two is in rubble in the general area the mounting ring is in.

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  AMTB 951 Emplacement #1 2022
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  AMTB Emplacement #1 2023
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  Emplacement #1 Ammo Storage 2023
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  AMTB 951 Emplacement #2 Remains 2022
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  Emplacement #2 Mounting Ring
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  Emplacement #2 Remains
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  Emplacement #2 Screw Detail
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  More of Emplacement #2
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Battery AMTB 351

Built with two temporary 37mm guns in 1942. There are no visible remains today.