Penobscot Narrows Observatory
Imagine a panoramic 360-degree view from a bridge tower forty-two stories high - one of only three such Bridge Observatories in the world. From the top of the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory, located in Prospect and Verona Island near Bucksport, Maine on Route 1, you will be able to see beautiful Penobscot Bay as it meets the Penobscot River between Prospect and Verona Island. Youll have a spectacular view of the Maine coast south to the Camden Hills, East to Mount Desert Island and Northwest to the eastern reaches of the Appalachian trail and Mount Katahdin. Youll see the picturesque town of Bucksport nestled into the rivers curve and you will be able to look down on the full sweep of historic Fort Knox and marvel at the ingenuity that created this magnificent fort back in 1844. The Observatory is located on the southern end of the bridge in the town of Prospect next to the historic fort.
The new bridges Observation Tower is the first such innovation of its kind in the United States and only the third in the world. The other two bridges with Observation towers are in Thailand and Slovakia.
While this new bridge is an engineering marvel in itself, it is the bridges 420 foot high Observation tower that will bring thousands of curious visitors to this coastal region, bordering the Mid-Coast region and the southern gateway to the Downeast Acadia region. Nestled at the confluence of the Penobscot River and Penobscot Bay the Bucksport area depicts a typical Maine rural area, small city surrounded by inland and coastal towns, each offering unique amenities to include; fishing, farming, craftsmanship, independent thinking, colorful vistas, historic sites, marine trades, a historic movie theatre/museum, and much more.
The bridges Observation tower is fully accessible by elevator will be open from May through October. It can be accessed through Fort Knox. Visitors will be required to pay a small charge for each elevator ride to the Observation deck.
A one-minute ride on the fastest elevator in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont will take you to the top of the tallest public bridge-observatory in the world. The others are in China, Slovakia and Thailand. Just opened in May 2007, the observatory is already proving to be a popular attraction. The beauty of the Penobscot River and surrounding countryside is immediately apparent as the elevator door slides open to a dizzying view from 420 feet up. Ascend two more levels up to find 360 degrees views, complete with identification panels showing you how to locate nearby mountains, lakes and towns.
