Prouts Neck MR: Difference between revisions
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Loc. 157 Prout's Neck was a WWII Fire Control site on Prout's Neck in Scarborough ME. | |||
'''This page is being re-written. Excuse our mess.''' | |||
In 1943 construction on a seven-floor tower on the South Side of Prout's Neck started in Scarborough Maine for the defense of Casco Bay during WW2. This site would become Location 157. The tower had four observation levels and an 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*. The seventh floor was used for Battery Steele at [[Peaks Island MR]], the sixth floor was used for Battery Foote at [[Fort Levett]], the fifth floor was used for Battery Cravens at [[Peaks Island MR]] and the fourth floor was used for Battery 201 at [[Cape Elizabeth MR]]. Searchlight #3 was located here. 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. The site of the tower is on private property and not open to the public.<center><gallery perrow="10"> | In 1943 construction on a seven-floor tower on the South Side of Prout's Neck started in Scarborough Maine for the defense of Casco Bay during WW2. This site would become Location 157. The tower had four observation levels and an 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*. The seventh floor was used for Battery Steele at [[Peaks Island MR]], the sixth floor was used for Battery Foote at [[Fort Levett]], the fifth floor was used for Battery Cravens at [[Peaks Island MR]] and the fourth floor was used for Battery 201 at [[Cape Elizabeth MR]]. Searchlight #3 was located here. 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. The site of the tower is on private property and not open to the public.<center><gallery perrow="10"> | ||
</gallery>All images courtesy Prout's Neck Historical Society.<gallery mode="nolines"> | </gallery>All images courtesy Prout's Neck Historical Society.<gallery mode="nolines"> | ||
Latest revision as of 20:32, 7 December 2024
Loc. 157 Prout's Neck was a WWII Fire Control site on Prout's Neck in Scarborough ME.
This page is being re-written. Excuse our mess.
In 1943 construction on a seven-floor tower on the South Side of Prout's Neck started in Scarborough Maine for the defense of Casco Bay during WW2. This site would become Location 157. The tower had four observation levels and an 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*. The seventh floor was used for Battery Steele at Peaks Island MR, the sixth floor was used for Battery Foote at Fort Levett, the fifth floor was used for Battery Cravens at Peaks Island MR and the fourth floor was used for Battery 201 at Cape Elizabeth MR. Searchlight #3 was located here. 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. The site of the tower is on private property and not open to the public.
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1943 Construction -
Side Of The Tower -
Tower Entrance -
Rear Of The Tower -
First Floor -
The Stairs Built Around The Shape Of The Tower -
Wooden Ladder to 4th Floor -
Observation Level -
Electrical Wiring -
Balcony View Towards The Ocean -
Balcony Entrance 6th Floor -
5th To 6th Floor Ladder -
Timer Bell Mount -
Metal Ladder To The 7th Floor -
Another DPF Mount -
Anti Aircraft Observation -
Newspaper Clipping About The Tower -
Demolition 2004
*this installation was the only TOWER to have four observation posts. A few cottage-style FC stations in Narragansett Bay had four observation posts.
All images colorized by J. Malcolm 2022. Except the demolition pictures.
Article About the Towers Demolition
SOURCES and REFERENCES
Prouts Neck Historical Society
Portland Projects 1944 Annex