Fire towers were once part of the rural scene throughout Maine. Wooden towers were built in dozens of communities, some of these constructed a century ago. Kids climbed them, and they were used as landmarks, although their purpose was to keep an eye out for fire. Here in Windham, the area around Atherton Hill’s tower was a great location to pick high bush blueberries and blackberries. The 60-foot steel tower shown here was erected in 1940 on 510-feet-high Blackstrap Hill in Falmouth. In 1949, it was moved to Atherton Hill (580 ft.) located off the Nash Road in Windham. It was taken down in 1999. (Photo provided to Windham Historical Society by Elsie Haskell)

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