Massachusetts Fire Towers
Hancock Tower
Massachusetts State Tower #42


Hancock Tower in 2009
(photo courtes Henry Isenberg)
  

Current Tower (2009)
Town: Hancock
County: Berkshire
Mountain or Hill: Brodie Mountain
Height above sea level: 2613 FT
Tower Structure Height: 74.5 FT
Latitude: 42-35-53
Longitude: 73-16-17
First date of operation: 2009 (no longer active)
Type: Tubular Steel

Former Tower
Town: Hancock
County: Berkshire
Mountain or Hill: Brodie Mountain
Height above sea level: 2613 FT
Tower Structure Height: 50 FT
Latitude: 42-35-53
Longitude: 73-16-17
First date of operation: Apr 1, 1924
Type: Iron Tower

 

Other Photos

Hancock Tower in 2002
(photo courtesy Henry Isenberg)

Hancock Tower in 1989
(photo courtesy Henry Isenberg)

 

Notes

  • A new tower was built in 2009. See below for details
  • In 1923, this 38 FT tower is moved here from Berlin Mountain in Williamstown
  • Three miles of phone line is constructed to this tower
  • Beginning in 1942, the tower is closed until 1956 due to disputes with the land owners
  • The site had no power. Radios worked off of batteries and a portable generator
  • In 1956, one acre around the tower is purchased
  • In 1967, the current 50 FT tower is built
  • In 1972, the tower is closed for good
  • In 2002, only the superstructure stands. The cab is gone
  • The current tower erected in 2009 is no longer an active state tower.

New Brodie Tower

This tower is in the central area of Berkshire county astride of the New York state line, NW of Pittsfield,Ma. The tower is 74.5 feet tall made of tubular steel construction sitting on a 22 foot square slab of reenforced concrete 30 inches thick. The elevation of this tower is 2,613 feet high. There is no wood on this tower, the stairs, landings and cab are all made of steel. The cab is 12' X 15' with a 12' ceiling. Fully insulated with a side entrance door from it's catwalk. The northern and southern sections of the catwalk are 51" wide, while the eastern and western sections are only 32" wide. The stairs are steel and are 30" wide. The cab door is on the west facing side of the tower.  The first tower to operate at this location was on April 1st, 1924 until the end of the fire season of 1971. What was left of that structre was torn down in 2008.

 


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