7. Harlem Watchtower – Most Community Oriented
Restoration of the Harlem Fire Watchtower began in 2015. Built between 1855 and 1857, the cast-iron tower is the last of thirteen such historic structures that were once scattered around Manhattan. The 5,000-pound bell housed within alerted all of northern Manhattan of fires — three bells for Yorkville, four bells for Bloomingdale, five bells for Harlem, six bells for Manhattanville, and so on.
To properly restore the 47-foot-tall tower, it was dismantled piece by piece and stored in Queens. After four years it was reassembled and re-erected at the highest point of the Acropolis in Marcus Garvey Park (formerly Mount Morris Park) in October 2019. Urban Park Rangers lead tours to the top of the watchtower and you can even ring the bell! Check out photos from our Untapped New York Insiders visit here.
