It was a humid, mid-80˚ day, but atop this Portland landmark there was a cool breeze that made me want to overstay my welcome after a tour from volunteer Jim Carll. A look toward the water from the octagonal railing showed the huge cruise ship Explorer of the Seas in Portland Harbor with what looked like miniscule youth sailing class boats nearby. In the opposite direction was Back Cove, sans water, and I-295, which you could see but, thankfully, not hear. On a clearer day, the White Mountains of New Hampshire can be seen beyond the cove. Straight down below, Colucci’s on the hill was getting it’s roof worked on. To the store’s right and past Munjoy Hill was Mackworth Island, one of the many Calendar Islands visible from the tower. Unfortunately is was trash day on the hill and blue bags could be spotted everywhere.
The view from the only remaining maritime signal tower in the country was certainly the piéce de resistance, but it was only one portion of what Carll’s tour had to offer.
As the story goes ... Capt. Lemuel Moody began his seafaring career between the ages of 10 and 13 when he headed off to war as a water boy on a Naval vessel. As an adult, he captained his own boat, bringing goods from away back to Maine. But at age 40 he’d had enough of the sea and returned to Portland to settle down.
Believe it or not, at that time, the Munjoy Hill area was a “common,” where people paid to have their cattle graze during the day before claiming them and bringing them home at night. Moody bought a chunk of land and built his home and his tower.
An entrepreneur from day one, Moody charged people to climb to the top of his tower as soon as it opened in 1807. He also built a restaurant and dance hall to attract the soldiers stationed at nearby forts, and a livery stable from which he could send horses and wagons to the waterfront to help unload ships that came into the harbor.
That’s where Moody really showed his brilliance as a businessman. He devised a flag system to alert locals when ships were coming in, how many there were, where they were coming from and what cargo they were carrying. Historians don’t know the exact system he used because he never wrote it down, but he used it well, climbing the tower three times daily, year-round, until his death in 1846 at age 78.
To get the rest of the very interesting story, including how the tower was built, you’ll have to take the tour yourself at 138 Congress St. You can do so daily from May 24 through Columbus day for just $7 for adults (Portland residents pay $5). Guided 30-minute tours are offered from 10 am-5 pm, with the last tour beginning at 4:30 pm. On Thursdays in August and September take the sunset tour from 5-8 pm.
Individual walking tours
A visit to the Portland Observatory is just one of the many offerings from Greater Portland Landmarks that can get locals better acquainted with their city. You may think these tours are just for people from away, but you’ll learn plenty of fun facts to impress your neighbors. Check them out.
Old Port Walking Tour, July 1-Sept. 30, Mon.-Sat., 10:30 am, adults $7, 60-90 minutes
Meet at the Portland Downtown District info booth at Tommy’s Park (corner of Exchange and Middle) for this tour that gives you the inside scoop on Portland’s days from a busy seaport to becoming the state’s largest commercial center. Guides will take you back in time for a look at the people and events that shaped the city.
Homes of Portland’s Golden Age (1800-1860) Walking Tour, July 1-Sept. 30, Fridays, 10:30 am, adults $7, 60-90 minutes
Meet at Portland Museum of Art (7 Congress Square) for this tour that showcases Portland’s remaining Federal mansions and Greek Revival and Italianate homes around the Spring Street Historic District. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was once home to Portland’s richest merchants and entrepreneurs.
Group tours
Available from April through mid-October, you can get to know the city better by scheduling a private group tour (should be scheduled two weeks in advance). Call 774-5561.
Eastern Cemetery, 60-90 minutes
It’s the oldest burial ground on the peninsula, dating to 1668, and the site where Portland Observatory mogul Lemuel Moody and Commodore Edward Preble are buried.
Congress Street, 60-90 minutes
Congress is the place to be for business in downtown Portland, but it was once just a back road. Learn about the prominent people who helped make it what it is today.
East End/Munjoy Hill, 60-90 minutes
Once a cow pasture, The Hill evolved into part of a thriving seaport, then a railroad hub and now a closely-knit neighborhood. And it still offers the best views of Casco Bay.
Western Promenade, 60-90 minutes
See Italianate, Second Empire and Colonial Revival homes from the 19th and 20th centuries and tour one of the country’s best-preserved Victorian neighborhoods. This neighborhood made the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.