Let’s go explore the abandoned Trundy Point Observation Towers in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. These are two fascinating historic military structures that were once used to detect and locate enemy vessels offshore. The coordinates from the tower observers would be used to direct fire upon enemies from nearby coastal batteries. The first tower seen from the trail is the 8-story concrete tower. This tower was built in 1944 during World War 2. It was completed during the tail end of the war and only saw a few months of usage. After World War 2, all equipment was removed from the tower and it was abandoned. Today, the tower stands as a monument to the past and fortunately, it is open. It is very rare to find an open fire control tower in New England, so walking up it was an unforgettable experience. The stairs and walls are in pretty good shape considering their age and lack of maintenance. On the top two floors, there are lookout posts. These used to have views of Casco Bay, but the woods have since grown up around the tower.

About 50 yards from the concrete tower, is the steel observation tower. This is a one-of-a-kind structure and the only steel military observation tower in New England. It was built in 1922 during World War 1 and resembles a typical fire lookout tower on a mountain. Today, the tower is in pretty rough shape and much of the stairs have been removed to avoid anyone injuring themself. It is a fascinating structure to view.

Specs

• Year Built: 1922 (steal tower) and 1944 (concrete tower)
• Year Abandoned: 1945
• Original Function: Fire control towers that would deliver coordinates to nearby coastal gun batteries