Bowman's Hill Tower
Encyclopedia
Bowman's Hill Tower, is a 125 feet (38.1 m) stone tower located in Washington Crossing Historic Park
in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission. The tower was built on Bowman's Hill, which is on the dividing line between the Upper Makefield Township
,and Solebury Township
.
and Lawrenceville, New Jersey
provided cut stone to be used for the sills and balustrades. Over 2,400 ton
s of materials were used in its construction, including; 1,200 perch of stone, 517 tons of sand and 225 tons of cement. In order to provide a solid foundation for the tower, the base was excavated 15 feet (4.57 m). The labor for the construction was provided by employees of the Washington Crossing Park Commission. Including labor, the tower cost $100,000 to build.
By 1934 the Tower was struck many times by lightning which resulted in the installation of a lightning protection system by the National Lightning Protection Company of St. Louis, Missouri
. During the 1930s the Civil Works Administration
and the Works Progress Administration
planted over 28,300 seedlings in an effort to reforest the area. A large number of erosion control measures were taken to include the setting of large numbers of rocks and boulders. Additionally, they created two vistas from the tower to the Delaware River
, one on the north side of the hill and the other on the southeast side. In the 1980s the tower was extensively restored and an elevator was installed. Previously visitors climbed an open stone spiral staircase to the observation point at the top of the tower. The elevator goes three-quarters of the way to the top and lets out onto a wooden landing. Visitors must then climb a small and narrow 23-step stone spiral staircase to the tower roof. Additionally, there is a parapet over the final stairs that gives the tower its distinctive look.
.
Note: a Burial placard on the hill commemorates a John Pidcock, early settler of the area, and not Dr. Bowman.
Washington Crossing Historic Park
Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500-acre site operated by The Friends Of Washington Crossing Historic Park. The park is headquartered in the village of Washington Crossing located in Upper Makefield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania...
in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission. The tower was built on Bowman's Hill, which is on the dividing line between the Upper Makefield Township
Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania
Upper Makefield Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,190 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
,and Solebury Township
Solebury Township, Pennsylvania
Solebury Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,692 at the 2010 census.The Solebury School is located in the township, off U.S...
.
The tower
Construction on Bowman's Hill Tower tower began in 1929 and was completed in 1931. It stands 125 feet tall and its base measures 24 feet on a side. The tower was constructed from native stone quarried from Bowman's Hill and nearby stone fences. Quarries in Lumberville, PennsylvaniaLumberville, Pennsylvania
Lumberville, Pennsylvania is a village on the Delaware River in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with a zip code of 18933. It is seven miles north of New Hope, Pennsylvania, and is located along River Road....
and Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
provided cut stone to be used for the sills and balustrades. Over 2,400 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s of materials were used in its construction, including; 1,200 perch of stone, 517 tons of sand and 225 tons of cement. In order to provide a solid foundation for the tower, the base was excavated 15 feet (4.57 m). The labor for the construction was provided by employees of the Washington Crossing Park Commission. Including labor, the tower cost $100,000 to build.
By 1934 the Tower was struck many times by lightning which resulted in the installation of a lightning protection system by the National Lightning Protection Company of St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. During the 1930s the Civil Works Administration
Civil Works Administration
The Civil Works Administration was established by the New Deal during the Great Depression to create manual labor jobs for millions of unemployed. The jobs were merely temporary, for the duration of the hard winter. Harry L. Hopkins was put in charge of the organization. President Franklin D...
and the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
planted over 28,300 seedlings in an effort to reforest the area. A large number of erosion control measures were taken to include the setting of large numbers of rocks and boulders. Additionally, they created two vistas from the tower to the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, one on the north side of the hill and the other on the southeast side. In the 1980s the tower was extensively restored and an elevator was installed. Previously visitors climbed an open stone spiral staircase to the observation point at the top of the tower. The elevator goes three-quarters of the way to the top and lets out onto a wooden landing. Visitors must then climb a small and narrow 23-step stone spiral staircase to the tower roof. Additionally, there is a parapet over the final stairs that gives the tower its distinctive look.
The park
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania created the Washington Crossing Historic Park in 1917, and then established the Washington Crossing Park Commission to administer and develop the park in 1919. The park also contains the Thompson-Neely HouseThompson-Neely House
The Thompson-Neely house is part of Washington Crossing Historic Park in Washington's Crossing, Pennsylvania, United States. It was a former military hospital.-External links:*...
.
The name
There is no definitive source for the name Bowman, however there are several theories:- The original name was Beau Mont which was paired with Belle Mont, a similar hill in New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. There was a John Beaumont who owned the original land in 1783. His tract of land can be seen in the Upper Makefield township building. - The hill was named for Thomas Bowman, an English merchant who conducted trade up and down the Delaware River in the 17th century.
- The hill was named for a John Bowman, a friend of Jonathan Pidcock, the first settler in the area. Pidcock's farm was located in the northeast end of the hill, from which Revolutionary War soldiers encamped on the farm, then owned by a Robert Thompson. They used the hill as a vantage point in which they could observe British troop movements along the Delaware River.
- Refers to a Doctor John Bowman (possibly the same John Bowman as above), ship's surgeon to Captain Kidd. Dr Bowman was thought to have retired to eastern Pennsylvania after his time at sea and is said to be buried somewhere on the hill. The legend goes on in claiming that pirate treasure may be buried on the hill.
Note: a Burial placard on the hill commemorates a John Pidcock, early settler of the area, and not Dr. Bowman.
The Mine
In 1854, an accident led to the discovery of a mine on the west side of Bowman's hill. It was later excavated in search of copper. The supervising engineer was of the opinion that the mine was originally created by Germans.The vistas
- To the east, a large American Flag can be seen over an American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
cemeteryCemeteryA cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
containing the graves of 23 Continental ArmyContinental ArmyThe Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
soldiers, 22 of them are unknown. - The Thompson-Neely HouseThompson-Neely HouseThe Thompson-Neely house is part of Washington Crossing Historic Park in Washington's Crossing, Pennsylvania, United States. It was a former military hospital.-External links:*...
, an 18th century stone farmhouse with a gristmillGristmillThe terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
, located down the hill and across the street (River Road) to the east. - To the northeast, the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge connecting New Hope, PennsylvaniaNew Hope, PennsylvaniaNew Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
and Lambertville, New JerseyLambertville, New JerseyLambertville is a city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,906.Lambertville was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1849, from portions of West Amwell Township...
, and the U.S. Route 202U.S. Route 202U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
bridge. - To the south east, Trenton, New JerseyTrenton, New JerseyTrenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and Morrisville, PennsylvaniaMorrisville, Bucks County, PennsylvaniaMorrisville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,728 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Morrisville is located at . It is situated on the Delaware River directly across from Trenton, New Jersey...
. - To the south, Tullytown landfill operated by Waste ManagementWaste managementWaste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal,managing and monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the environment or aesthetics...
.