Penobscot Narrows Observatory State Park
Name: Penobscot Narrows Observatory
Location: 740 Fort Knox Road, Prospect, Maine 04981
Dog-friendly: No
Hours: 9:00a.m.-sunset daily
Season: May 1st-October 31st
Camping: No
Fees: Yes, collected at entry booth
Located in MidCoast Maine, the Penobscot Narrows Observatory is the tallest bridge observatory in the world open to the public. It’s panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and engineering are both impressive and breathtaking. Stop by and experience this marvelous piece of Maine history for yourself!
History
The Penobscot Narrows Observatory has a long, rich history. Prior to 1929, a ferry went back and forth between Verona Island and Prospect. In 1929, the state of Maine authorized $1.2 million dollars in 30-year bonds to build a steel bridge called the Waldo-Hancock Bridge to accommodate the increasing amount of tourists driving up and down Route 1. Construction began in the Summer of 1930 and was completed in November of 1931. At the time, the steel bridge was an engineering sensation. Visitors paid a 35-cent toll to drive across the bridge, and within 31 years, the cost of building the bridge was paid off.
In 2003, the Maine Department of Transportation was working on updating the suspension cables of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge and discovered they were severely corroded. Therefore, they had to replace the bridge as soon as possible. In just 16 weeks, new cables were designed and installed, due to safety concerns.
To ensure longevity of the new bridge that was to be built, it’s cables were covered with 16-inch plastic protective tubes, the inside and outside of each steel strand was coated in epoxy, and each tube was filled with gas that allows for continuous pressure monitoring.
The Penobscot Observatory took only 42 months to plan and construct. Right away, locals decided they wanted a bridge that represented their economy, so they constructed the bridge out of granite. The Washington Monument, which was partially built using granite from Mount Waldo, was a huge influence on the design of the Penobscot Observatory. Therefore, it was decided that the bridge, similar to the Washington Monument, also needed to have an observation tower.
Getting there
The Observatory is located in MidCoast Maine. It connects the small towns of Verona and Prospect. It’s very easy to find—located just off Route 1 in Prospect. The observatory is open May 1st-October 31st from 9:00a.m.-Sunset. Maine residents and Maine State Parks passholders do receive a discount on admission.
Fun Facts about the Penobscot Observatory
447 ft tall and 2,120 ft long
Cost $85,000,000 to build
Has 1,020,000 pounds of steel reinforcing rods
Weighs 126,000,000 pounds
Our Experience
This year, my husband and I are on a quest to visit all of the Maine State Parks, and oddly enough, the Observatory is listed as a Maine State Park! Knowing absolutely nothing about the bridge, we thought we would drive across and then pull over to take a few photos and that would be the extent of our visit.
When we pulled into the scenic overlook at the end of the bridge to take pictures, we were reading about the history of the bridge and learned that there was an observatory at the top. We immediately knew we had to experience it for ourselves. The views from the top of the observatory were absolutely stunning! We had such a good time that we decided to check out Fort Knox too. I have a separate post all about Fort Knox that you can read by clicking here.
All in all, it was a unexpectedly amazing day. We were thrilled to have discovered and experienced something new and different! We couldn’t wait to tell everyone we knew about it.
The Penobscot Observatory is a family-friendly, super fun day trip that every Mainer needs to experience! Words and pictures do not do this bridge justice. Come visit and see for yourself!
Happy exploring, friends!
