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Scargo Tower

Coordinates: 41°44′22″N 70°10′48″W / 41.7395°N 70.1800°W / 41.7395; -70.1800
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West side exterior of Scargo Tower, Dennis, Massachusetts

Scargo Tower is a 30-foot-tall (9.1 m) cobblestone tower located atop Scargo Hill in Dennis, Massachusetts on Cape Cod.

History

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There have been three Scargo towers at this spot. The first tower was built in 1874 by the Tobey family. Constructed out of wood, it was destroyed by a gale in 1876. The second tower, known as "Tobey Tower" and also made of wood, burned down in 1900. The present tower was built of cobblestone in 1901 as a memorial to the Tobey family.

The current tower, atop the area's tallest hill above the kettle of Scargo Lake, stands 30 feet high and 160 feet above sea level.[1] The top of the tower provides a panoramic view that, on a clear day, extends as far as Provincetown[1] and the Sagamore Bridge.

The Scargo Tower plaque

A plaque placed above the entrance to the tower reads, "This tower and hilltop were given to the town of Dennis in 1929 as a memorial to Charles Tobey (1831–1888) and Francis Bassett Tobey (1833–1913). Loyal sons of the village of Dennis where their Tobey ancestors settled in 1678."[2]

Geography

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View of Scargo Lake and Cape Cod Bay from the tower

Scargo tower sits atop Scargo Hill, one of the tallest [160 feet (49 m)] and best-known hills on Cape Cod. The tower is located in the town of Dennis, Massachusetts off of Scargo Hill road, to the south of Scargo Lake.

References

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  1. ^ a b Grant, Kim. Explorer's Guide: Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket (9th edition). Woodstock, VT: The Countryman Press, 2011: 144.ISBN 978-0-88150-948-9
  2. ^ CapeLinks Cape Cod Photos: Scargo Tower Plaque
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41°44′22″N 70°10′48″W / 41.7395°N 70.1800°W / 41.7395; -70.1800