Fire Control Tower List

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This is a list of all the Fire Control Stations used during WWII. Most of these structures were built from 1942-1944 but some were built earlier and they are included because they were used through WWII. This list does not include temporary stations which may have been built before the completion of a permanent tower.

MAINE

Image
Location Batteries Served Style Construction Date Features Notes
Fort Baldwin ME Battery Steele-Upper Square Tower 1942 Anti Aircraft Observation Post Most northern FC structure in Portland

Open occasionally

Small Point ME Square Tower 1942 Anti-Aircraft Observation Post

Fire Control Switchboard

A temporary station was built here for the 155mm battery at Fort Baldwin

Private Property
Bailey Island ME Site 1C:

Site 1B:

Both Square Towers 1943 Site 1C housed a radar for Battery Steele and Anti-Aircraft Observation Post Private Property
Jewell Island ME Site 1D:

Site 1B:

One square tower and one disguised as a castle tower Site-1D: 1943

Site: 1B: 1934

Site-1B was one of two Fire Control Stations built for Battery Foote pre WWII. It also served Battery Bowdin at Fort Levett and Battery Ingalls when first built. Public Park
Long Island ME Circular tower disguised as a standpipe 1943 Radar located on the roof for Battery Carpenter and backup for Battery Ferguson.

Operations and generator building converted to homes.

Private Property
Great Diamond Island ME Battery Carpenter-Upper Square tower 1943 New Battery Commanders (BC) and CRF station for Battery Carpenter at Fort McKinley which was modified in WWII. Private Property
Peaks Island ME Site 1G:
  • Mines II CP

Site 1H:

Site 1I:

Site 1J:

  • Groupement 1 Command Post

Site 2A:

  • Secondary Mines II OP
Site 1G:
  • Cottage

Side-by-Side

Site 1H

  • Square Tower

Site 1I:

  • Square Tower

Site 1J:

  • Stucco Side-by-Side (1909)

Site 2A:

  • Square Tower
1942-43 1909 stucco station used for mortar batteries and heavily renovated over time.

Anti-Aircraft Observation Post. Fire Control Switchboard Groupement Command Post was situated inside the stucco station from 1909 but supposedly in 1943 a concrete square tower was built?

All Stations private property or sealed
Cushings Island ME Site 1B:
  • Secondary Mines I OP-Upper & Lower

Site 1E:

Site 1F:

Site 1H:

Site 1J:

  • Gun-Group 1 Command-Upper
Site 1B:
  • Square tower

Site 1E:

  • Square Tower

Site 1F:

  • Square single-story

Site 1H:

  • Square Tower

Site 1J:

  • Rectangular base w/ square tower**
1942-44 Site 1B:
  • Built on Battery Daniels 1920 CRF Station.

Site 1E:

  • Many original windows remaining.

Site 1F:

  • *Built on top of the Battery Foote 1921 BC Station when casemented in 1944.

Site 1H:

  • Anti-Aircraft Observation crow's nest hanging off the back of the tower.

Site 1J:

  • **Base of the station houses the G-1 Command Post which is larger than the station sitting atop it.
  • DPF bolts drilled off.
Cushings Island is private
Trundy Point ME Site 1A

Site 1B

Site 1A
  • Steel tower with concrete cab

Site 1B

  • Square tower
Site 1A
  • 1922

Site 1B

  • 1943
Site 1A
  • Only remaining steel tower North of New Jersey
  • Disguised as Fire Tower seen on mountains
  • One of two originally for Battery Foote
  • Steps to top partially removed for safety

Site 1B

  • Sixth floor ladder removed
Both towers open to public
Cape Elizabeth ME

Cape Elizabeth (Two)--One sealed & One on private property into an old lighthouse--Cape Elizabeth MR

Prouts Neck Tower--Razed 2004--Private Property--Prouts Neck MR

Biddeford Pool Tower--Razed 195?--On a Golf Course--Biddeford Pool MR

Cape Porpoise Tower--Razed 1949 by USACE--Private Property--Cape Porpoise MR

Great Hill/Gelaspus Point--Razed 1949--Private Property--Gelaspus Point MR

Moody Point Station--Partially Razed 1965--Garnsey Brothers Real Estate--Moody Point MR

Bald Head Station--Razed 1964--Bald Head Cliff Hotel--Bald Head Cliff MR

York Cliffs Station--Altered 2001--Private Property--Cape Neddick MR

Seal Head Station--Razed 1979--Private Property--Seal Head Point MR

Sisters Point Tower--Razed 2004--Private Property--Sisters Point MR

Sewards Point Station (Battery Bohlen)--Private Property--Fort Foster B" Station

Fort Foster Towers (Two)--Double Mine OP & Battery Commanders Tower--Sealed--Fort Foster

Appledore Island Tower--Closed to public--Appledore Island MR

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Fort Constitution Tower--Mine OP--Fenced Off--Fort Constitution

Wentworth Stations (Two)--Hotel Copula & Concrete Station (Razed 1998)--Private Property--Fort Stark B" Station

Fort Dearborn Station--Gun Group 1 Station--Built into 103 BC Station--Open to public--Fort Dearborn

Pulpit Rock Tower--Open occasionally--Pulpit Rock Camp

Rye Ledge Station--Razed 2007-Private Property--Rye Ledge MR

Great Boars Head/Hampton Beach Tower--Private Property--Great Boars Head MR

MASSACHUSETTS

Plum Island Station--Razed 1950s--Closed to public--Plum Island MR

Salisbury Beach Station--Collapsed 1958--Public beach--Salisbury Beach MR

Crane Estate/Castle Hill Station--Razed 1948--Open to public--Castle Hill MR

Halibut Point Tower--Altered 1996 & 2018--Open on weekends--Halibut Point MR

Emerson Point Tower--Private Property--Emerson Point MR

Eastern Point Station--Altered?--Private Property--Eastern Point MR

Coolidge Point Tower--Altered 1974--Private Property--Coolidge Point MR

Smith/Gales Point Station--Altered 1976--Private Property--Gales Point MR

Marblehead Neck Towers (Three)--One 5 story razed 1950s, One Cottage slightly altered & One 5 Story--All Private Property--Marblehead Neck MR

Nahant Towers (Five)--Two 8 story, Two 6 story & One cottage razed 1950s--All Private Property--Fort Ruckman, East Point MR

Deer Island Stations (Amount Undetermined)--All Stations razed 1988-92--No access--Fort Dawes

Lovells Island Stations (Two)--Mine OP & FCS--Open to public--Fort Standish

Great Brewster Island Mine OP (pushed off bluff 197? for safety)--Great Brewster MR

Outer Brewster Island Station--Atop Battery Jewell--Open to public--Outer Brewster Island MR

Georges Island (Two)--Mine OP--Repurposed Endicott tower for Gun Group 5--Open to public--Fort Warren

Point Allerton Stations (Three WWII)--One 7 story FCT--One 4 story FCS (Razed 1978)--One 1 story FCS (Razed 1978)--All Private Property--Point Allerton MR

Strawberry Hill Station--Razed 195? --located in front of 1907 station (now home)--Private Property--Strawberry Hill MR

Minot Stations (Four)--One 8 story FCT--One 5 story steel FCT (Dismantled 194?)--Two 2 story stations altered for residence--Private Property--Strawberry Point MR

Fourth Cliff Stations (Three)--One 5 story FCT--One 3 story FCS--One 1 story station--Private Property--Fourth Cliff MR

Gurnet Point Station--Razed 1998--Open to public--Gurnet Point MR

Elizabeths Islands Stations (Ten)--Five on Cuttyhunk Is., Three on Naushon Is. & Two on Martha's Vineyard (One in surf and one buried)--All open to public--Elizabeth Islands MR

West Island Tower--Sealed--Public Beach--Rocky Point MR

Round Hill Station--Razed 2008--Private Property--Round Hill MR

Gooseberry Neck Towers (Three)--One razed 1978--Sealed--Gooseberry Neck MR

RHODE ISLAND

Warren Point Stations (Two)--One razed 1970 & other razed 2019--Private Property--Warren Point MR

Sauchest Point Stations (Three)--All razed 197?--Open to public--Sauchest Point MR

Beavertail Station--HECP w/ FC Stations--Private Property--Fort Burnside

Conanicut Battery Stations (Six)--All built in 1921 but used thru WWII--All sealed--Public Park--Prospect Hill MR

The Bonnet Station--Mine OP--Private Property--Bonnet Point MR

Camp Varnum Stations (Four)--Slightly altered--Active National Guard Base--Fort Varnum

Point Judith Stations (Five)--Two Stations razed 1979--Two Stations damaged in storms--One tower part of Fishermans Visitors Center--Private Property--Fort Nathanael Greene

Green Hill Stations (Three)--All razed before 1963--Private Property--Green Hill MR

Charleston Station--Altered 2000--Private Property--Quonochontaug Neck MR

Block Island Stations (Eight)--Four towers & Four cottages--Two razed between 1970-85 & Two razed between 1980-85--Private Property--Block Island MR

Noyes Neck Towers (Two)--Razed before 1963--Private Property--Noyes Neck MR

Watch Hill Stations (Two)--One Cottage & One Tower--Razed immediately after WWII--Watch Hill MR

This list is subject to change as more pre-WWII Stations are added