Pennsville in Salem County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Observation Towers
Fort Mott State Park
Photographed By Don Morfe, September 6, 2015
1. Observation Towers Marker
Inscription.
Observation Towers. Fort Mott State Park. Fifty-two feet above the ground, soldiers in this observational tower were able to identify an enemy vessel, calculate its speed and distance, note weather conditions and communicate this information to the main plotting room and the ten-inch guns at Battery Harker. Soldiers at the gun batterys used this information to compensate for weather, set the firing range and direction and potentially fire at an unsuspecting vessel.
This tower was completed in 1903. It has two levels: an observation room and meteorological station on the glass-topped upper level, and a target plotting room below, from critical data would be relayed to soldiers aiming the big guns.
Vibration Dampening Device , When the big guns were fired, vibrations similar to a small earthquake affected the delicate instrumentation contained with the observation towers. Soldiers had to continuously adjust their instruments to make accurate readings. To solve this problem Army engineers designed a concrete-filled tube below the tower and attached it between the instrument platform and the ground. The tube was then encased in a steel jacket. It served as a basic vibration-dampening device to protect the instruments and a means of insulating power and phone wiring as well.
(Inscription under the image in the lower left) , Fort Mott Range Finder. This two-story observation tower helped soldiers detect enemy vessels traveling on the Delaware River and relay their course to the gun crews.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) , If you look across the moat toward the river, you will see the second tower. This fifty-five foot high tower has a single observation level for taking accurate sights on enemy targets. Its primary function was to obtain target information for the twelve-inch guns of Battery Arnold.
Fifty-two feet above the ground, soldiers in this observational tower were able to identify an enemy vessel, calculate its speed and distance, note weather conditions and communicate this information to the main plotting room and the ten-inch guns at Battery Harker. Soldiers at the gun batterys used this information to compensate for weather, set the firing range and direction and potentially fire at an unsuspecting vessel.
This tower was completed in 1903. It has two levels: an observation room and meteorological station on the glass-topped upper level, and a target plotting room below, from critical data would be relayed to soldiers aiming the big guns.
Vibration Dampening Device When the big guns were fired, vibrations similar to a small earthquake affected the delicate instrumentation contained with the observation towers. Soldiers had to continuously adjust their instruments to make accurate readings.
To solve this problem Army engineers designed a concrete-filled tube below the tower and attached it between the instrument platform and the ground. The tube was then encased in a steel jacket. It served as a basic vibration-dampening device to protect the instruments and a means of insulating power and phone wiring as well.
(Inscription under the image in the lower left) Fort Mott Range Finder. This two-story
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observation tower helped soldiers detect enemy vessels traveling on the Delaware River and relay their course to the gun crews.
(Inscription under the image in the lower right) If you look across the moat toward the river, you will see the second tower. This fifty-five foot high tower has a single observation level for taking accurate sights on enemy targets. Its primary function was to obtain target information for the twelve-inch guns of Battery Arnold.
Location. 39° 36.257′ N, 75° 33.027′ W. Marker is in Pennsville, New Jersey, in Salem County. Memorial is on Fort Mott Road. The marker is located on the grounds of Fort Mott State Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pennsville NJ 08070, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 272 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 13, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
