Harlem Fire Watchtower Tour

Climb atop the historic Harlem Fire Watchtower on this special Untapped New York Insiders tour in partnership with NYC Parks.

  • Go to the top of the 47-foot tall watchtower
  • Learn about its history and restoration
  • See the 5,000 lb bell

About this Event:

The Harlem Fire Watchtower was built by Julius H. Kroehl sometime between 1855 and 1857, and designed by James Bogardus at a cost of $2,300. Fire watchtowers were the way city dwellers spotted fires and sounded an alert, before electric telegraphs were installed in 1878. Together with the Croton Aqueduct and an extensive system of reservoirs, watchtowers helped protect 19th-century New Yorkers from fires.

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