Harlem Fire Watchtower
historic place
The Harlem Fire Watchtower, a historic place in New York County, New York, was erected in 1856. This cast-iron structure stands 47 feet tall in Marcus Garvey Park, formerly known as Mount Morris Park. It was designed by James Bogardus and built by Julius H. Kroehl. The tower was one of several such structures built across New York City starting in the 1850s. Its primary purpose was to provide a high vantage point for watchmen to spot fires in the surrounding wooden structures of the city. Upon seeing a fire, watchmen would alert local fire companies by ringing a large bell. By the 1870s, advancements like pull boxes and electric telegraphs rendered these fire watchtowers obsolete. While other towers were eventually dismantled, the Harlem Fire Watchtower survived, largely due to community efforts to preserve it. It is the last remaining cast-iron fire watchtower in New York City. The tower was designated a New York City Landmark in 1967 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. It represents an early method of fire detection in 19th-century New York.