Portland observatory4/3/2023 ![]() Parking is on the street or in pay parking lots in the area. Tour begins at the intersection of Franklin and Commercial Streets near the large globe. Walk with us through a compact urban neighborhood that has reinvented itself many times over. This tour through Portland’s oldest neighborhood encompasses the full sweep of the city’s fascinating history, from busy seaport to railroad and industrial center, to today’s dining and tourist destination. The tour focuses on the heyday of the neighborhood, the mid-19th to early 20th century, when it was home to a diverse population of Irish, Italian and Jewish immigrants and one of the nation’s oldest free black communities – all living next to the wharves, train yards and factories that were the city’s economic engine. Built in 1807, it is the only known surviving tower of its type in the United States. June 7, July 5, July 19, August 2, August 16, August 30, The Portland Observatory is a historic maritime signal tower at 138 Congress Street in the Munjoy Hill section of Portland, Maine. Private walking tours must be booked at least one week in advance. The 2023 season will begin in the spring. Please email Alessa Wylie at The 2022 season has ended. Our knowledgeable guides are willing to work with your party to customize a walking tour that incorporates your interests and accommodates your schedule!Ħ0-75 minute private tours are $25/person. In addition to our regularly scheduled guided tour s, we offer private walking tours for any group of 2 or more people. We are not currently requiring our guides or tour participants to wear face coverings. The tour routes are mostly level.ĬOVID-19 precautions: Greater Portland Landmarks is carefully following recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Maine Governor’s Office to protect the health and safety of our visitors and guides. We walk at a comfortable and non-strenuous pace. The Portland Observatory was built in 1807 by Captain Lemuel Moody to serve as a communication station for Portland Harbor. Western Promenade Homes of Portland’s Golden AgeĮach tour takes approximately 60-75 minutes. Portland was an exciting place during the war, says historian Joel Eastman. Walking tours cover the Old Port, Congress Street from Congress Square Plaza to City Hall, the India Street neighborhood, and the State Street area. But the war came to Casco Bay a year earlier when the shipyard in South Portland began building ships for the British. 4 Walks Through Portland Family Guide Greater Portland Landmarks’ first Family Guide to Portland’s history is a packet of walking tours that focus on four historic neighborhoods. Please see below for descriptions of each tour, their individual schedules, and to purchase tickets. The United States did not officially enter World War II until December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. These tours visit three distinct and fascinating neighborhoods in Portland, offering a unique perspective on the city’s history and built environment. The tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and became a National Historic Landmark in 2006.Greater Portland Landmarks offers scheduled walking tours led by our passionate and knowledgeable volunteer guides. The invention of the two-way radio made the signal tower obsolete. FL Pomona, CA Portland, OR Salt Lake City, UT San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Scottsdale. With his powerful telescope at the top of the tower, Moody could identify incoming vessels for up to 30 miles away. Moody informed subscribing merchants by hoisting signal flags identifying their vessels. This signal tower greatly increased the efficiency of Portland Harbor and the observatory remained a working marine signal tower run by the Moody family until 1923. The Observatory (View Directions ) 3503 South Harbor Boulevard. ![]() ![]() The tapered, octagonal tower is 86 feet tall with a diameter of 32 feet at the base and 15 feet at the observation deck. ![]() It was a commercial venture designed to give a competitive edge to ship owners who paid a subscription fee of $5.00 a year to alert them when their sailing ships were arriving in port. The Portland Observatory was one of the earliest marine signal stations in the United States and the only one still standing today. What could be mistaken as a lighthouse, the Portland Observatory was built in 1807 by Captain Lemuel Moody to serve as a communication station for Portland Harbor. ![]()
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