Bowman's Hill Tower facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bowman's Hill Tower
Bowman's Hill Tower
Country	United States
County	Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Bowman's Hill Tower, also known as Bowman's Tower, is a tall stone tower. It stands 125 feet (about 38 meters) high. You can find it in Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources takes care of the tower. It was built on Bowman's Hill, which is located between Upper Makefield Township and Solebury Township. The tower was finished in the 1930s as a special memorial.

Building Bowman's Tower

Work on Bowman's Hill Tower started in 1929. It was completed just two years later, in 1931. The tower stands 125 feet (38 meters) tall. Its base is 24 feet (7.3 meters) wide on each side.

Materials Used for the Tower

The tower was built using local stone. This stone came from Bowman's Hill itself. Some stone also came from nearby stone fences. Special cut stone for windowsills and railings came from quarries in Lumberville, Pennsylvania and Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

More than 2,400 short tons (about 2,177,000 kg) of materials were used. This included 1,200 perch (a measure for stone) of stone. Also, 517 short tons (469,000 kg) of sand and 225 short tons (204,000 kg) of cement were used. To make the tower strong, its base was dug 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep. Workers from the Washington Crossing Park Commission built the tower. The total cost, including labor, was $100,000.

Keeping the Tower Safe

By 1934, lightning had struck the tower many times. So, a lightning protection system was installed. This system helps keep the tower safe during storms.

In the 1930s, two government programs, the Civil Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration, helped the area. They planted over 28,300 young trees to regrow the forests. They also put in many rocks and boulders to stop soil from washing away. These groups also created two clear viewing spots from the tower to the Delaware River. One view is to the north, and the other is to the southeast.

Visiting the Tower Today

In the 1980s, the tower was repaired and improved. An elevator was added at that time. Before the elevator, visitors had to climb an open stone spiral staircase. Now, the elevator takes you most of the way up. It stops at a stone landing. From there, visitors climb a small, narrow 23-step stone spiral staircase. This leads to the very top of the tower. There is also a decorative wall, called a parapet, above the final stairs. This gives the tower its unique look.

Washington Crossing Historic Park

The state of Pennsylvania created the Washington Crossing Historic Park in 1917. Then, in 1919, they set up the Washington Crossing Park Commission. This group was made to manage and develop the park. The park is also home to the Thompson-Neely House.

Why is it Called Bowman's Hill?

No one knows for sure how Bowman's Hill got its name. But there are a few ideas:

• One idea is that the original name was Beau Mont. This means "beautiful mountain" in French. It might have been paired with Belle Mont, a similar hill in New Jersey. A man named John Beaumont owned land here in 1783.
• Another idea is that the hill was named after Thomas Bowman. He was an English merchant who traded along the Delaware River in the 1600s.
• Some believe it was named for a John Bowman. He was a friend of Jonathan Pidcock, who was one of the first settlers in the area. Pidcock's farm was on the northeast side of the hill. Revolutionary War soldiers camped on this farm.
• A legend says it was named after Doctor John Bowman. He was supposedly a ship's surgeon for Captain Kidd, a famous pirate. The story says Dr. Bowman retired to eastern Pennsylvania. He is said to be buried somewhere on the hill. The legend even claims pirate treasure might be buried there! However, a marker on the hill remembers John Pidcock, an early settler, not Dr. Bowman.

The Old Mine

In 1854, an accident led to the discovery of a mine on the west side of Bowman's Hill. Later, people dug into it looking for copper. The engineer in charge thought the mine was originally dug by Germans.

Amazing Views from the Tower

From the top of Bowman's Hill Tower, you can see many interesting sights:

• To the east, you can see a large American Flag. It flies over a Revolutionary War cemetery. This cemetery holds the graves of 23 Continental Army soldiers. Twenty-two of them are unknown.
• You can see the Thompson-Neely House. This is an old stone farmhouse from the 1700s. It also has a gristmill. It is located down the hill and across River Road to the east.
• To the northeast, you can spot the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. This bridge connects New Hope, Pennsylvania and Lambertville, New Jersey. You can also see the U.S. Route 202 bridge.
• To the southeast, you can see Trenton, New Jersey and Morrisville, Pennsylvania.
• To the south, you might see the Tullytown landfill. This is operated by Waste Management, Inc..