2019 Maine Trip- Penobscot Area (Part 3)

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2019 Maine Trip- Penobscot Area (Part 3)

June 29, 2019 by larrysmailart

Sunrise at Belfast

NOTE: The sunrise photo had me feeling slight disappointment. I arose at 4:30 and quickly headed the two hundred yards to the shoreline to watch the sunrise. However, the tide was high and I just couldn’t go the next hundred or more yards needed to actually witness the sun for the rising occurred behind the land shown on the left. I did, however, capture some color. The last time I was at this site I stood, actually, in the area to the right of the photo and could easily see the sun.

Penobscot Bridge

The Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory is a bridge to cross the Penobscot River. The structure is one of uniqueness indeed. Two granite-made pillars reaching way into the air were constructed using a huge suspension system to stabilize it all. The observatory is 420 feet high consisting of 42 stories. The top has a 360 degree view covering a 100 miles. One can see the distant Cadillac Mountain of Acadia national park. This is the tallest occupied structure in Maine. Laurie and I were greatly impressed with the view.

The granite used to construct the towers came from the local Mount Waldo area of Maine. The Washington Monument utilized this same source of material for its building.

In earlier times, many Algonquin-speaking Indians lived in the area including the Penobscot Indians. hence the name. They traded furs to the colonials. Today, they still live in the area forming the Wabanaki Confederation.

The legendary Fort Knox is still easily observed from the tower. Visitors may walk through the fort. the fort was built from 1844 through 1846. The purpose of the fort was to protect communities of Maine. During, bith, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the British came up from Penobscot Bay and attacked successfully thus seizing control of the area. However, upon the Civil war and Spanish-American wars no attacks were launched in this area although the fort was prepared during both conflicts.