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The Tower is actually more appropriately called a "Base End Station" or a "Gun Battery Fire Control Tower"
For more information about the series of these towers along the northeast coast follow the link below:
The tower was built on land previously occupied by the Brant Rock House which
was torn down in 1938.
"The tower was built in 1943 as a spotting tower for German submarines. The walls are a foot thick
and the entire structure is15,000 pounds of concrete-reinforced rebar. It's seventy feet tall and has eight floors. The top
three floors each have 180 degree views. There is no elevator, and it's the tallest single family residence in Massachusetts.
The first floor consists of a full bath, the second floor a full kitchen and the third floor is a dining room and living area.
The fourth floor is a bedroom with double bunk beds and the fifth floor is a bathroom. The home is air condidtioned by the
cool ocean breezes. Starting on the fifth floor, there's a spiral staircase. The sixth floor is used as an office and the
seventh floor is the master bedroom The furniture on the upper floors was built on-site to avoid the problems of carrying
furniture up seven flights of winding stairs. The eighth floor is a living room, and the observation deck can be reached from
a ladder from the eighth floor."
From "The Islands of Brant Rock and Ocean Bluff"
by Theodore P. Burbank
to order this informative book follow the link below
This text is also found on the Home and Garden TV website. From Bob Cheeseman
"The tower was built in Brant Rock by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1942 to spot enemy subs and
ships off the Atlantic coast.
It was constructed with concrete, reinforced with rebar and built 30 feet into bedrock.
It has small windows on the first five floors for riflemen, windows on three sides on the top three floors for spotters,
and a telescope turret on the eighth floor.
It can take a direct hit from a battleship and stand"
Information from Missy M. (Marshfield Forum)
"The Brant Rock tower was sold by the Secretary of the Air Force as surplus to the first private
buyer 11/30/66. It was sold again 3/23/72 and the third and final time, so far, 5/31/79. The goverment gave numerous documents,
news reports ect. to the 1st buyer and that info has since been passed along to the newer buyer. It listed as Brant Rock Electronics
Reseach Annex and observation tower. It was used to spot any and all types of war ships including subs-they due surface. It
did have gun portals and a very high powered telescope that was on the 8th floor. It's mount is still there to this day. It
also had a very powerful search light on the roof. That light saved many a ships from crashing into the rocks along the coast
line.
Yes, there is a 4-5 story tower in Minot or on the Cohasset line, one in Hull on the high hill by Point Allerton.
There are also three 7-8 story towers in the Nahant area, two of them are side by side. There are others further up the coast
and into, I believe Maine. All are now privately owned. Most are not approachable. "
CLICK HERE for the History of U.S. Seacoast Fortifications
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