WW II Tower Cohasset Harbor

[Dick]

Hi, does anyone know anything about the WW II observation tower visible from Cohasset Harbor? It looks similar to the ones on Jewel Island in Maine. I think the tower is actually in Scituate on property owned by the Glades Association. I'm wondering if it's possible to visit the tower but I haven't been able to find anything about the Association. Thanks in advance for any information.

Dick

[cgr]

There is one of these in Marshfield converted to a private home, this webpage mentions cohasset/scituate. There are also towers on west island in fairhaven & gooseberry island in westport.

http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/bran ... s/id9.html

[norm]

I don't have an answer about the specific tower you ask about, but I came across a website a while ago that has a lot of information about coastal defense structures. The site was incomplete when I looked at it before and it still is except for good info for the Boston area. I don't have time to check it out further right now, but there is definitely info about these towers on the site. The site is http://coastdefense.com/index.html

Can you go into the tower on Jewel Island?

[Dick]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm still interested in learning more about the Glades Association tower. Maybe I'll check the Historical Societies in Scituate and Cohasset.

A lot of you paddlers probably know that there are actually 2 towers on Jewell Island, Casco Bay, Maine and you can visit them. I think one is from WW I. The island is owned by the state and the last time I was there the stairs had been replaced and you go to the top for some fantastic views.

Near the towers are 2 large gun pits connected by an ammunition tunnel. If you're feeling like Indiana Jones, bring a flashlight and watch out for the holes in the floor.

[norm]

I'm still interested in learning more about the Glades Association tower. Maybe I'll check the Historical Societies in Scituate and Cohasset.

Got a little time to look at that website link I sent you. There is a little info on the tower at the glades in the section titled Strawberry Point Towers. From the pictures on the left and captions that go with them, you'll see that the tower's door was cemented shut long ago. Originally there were 3 towers in that area.

Here the exact page. Click on the pictures in the left panel. http://coastdefense.com/strawberry-central.htm

[Dick]

Norm,
Thanks for that site. It has great information and photos. I confused Strawberry Point in Scituate with Strawberry Hill in Hull earlier. Your information cleared it up.

This thread isn't directly concerned with kayaking but is connected with the area that we paddle in providing another dimension to the experience.

Besides the 8 story concrete tower, the 2 fire control "cottages" are also very interesting: "The two cottages here are the only surviving examples; they probably owe their longevity to the unique ownership situation of the Glades Corporation (both before and after the war) and the fact that both structures were converted to residential use (as actual summer cottages--go figure). In any case, the two cottages today likely look much as they did when they were built in 1943."

I think it's pretty cool that the reinforced concrete shells of the "cottages" were disguised with wooden roofs, false siding and windows.

Apparently, the private owners allowed the military to build the fire control cottages and then got to keep them as summer homes after the war.

Dick