Poet's Seat Tower – Greenfield, Massachusetts - Atlas Obscura

Poet's Seat Tower

This tall Massachusetts folly got its name thanks to all of the purple prose its vistas inspired. 

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Looming on a steep riverside cliff in a Greenfield, Massachusetts, park is a lonely tower that looks like it landed in place right from medieval times. But rather than a legacy of swords and sorcery, the gently-named Poet’s Seat Tower is more of a place for peaceful reflection.

The scenic observation spot actually earned the name “Poet’s Seat” in the mid-1800s when local writer Frederick Goddard Tuckerman coined the phrase. As the highest point in the city, the spot commands some truly panoramic sights. To make even more of the incredible view, a wooden observation tower was built on the edge of the lookout in 1879. This crude construction stood on the site until 1912 when the current stone turret was built on the site. The tower has multiple floors that visitors can access via winding internal staircases. The tower’s series of arched windows allow for the best possible view of Greenfield spread out below.

While it does not seem to have been discovered or appropriated by LARP enthusiasts, the Poet’s Seat Tower continues to look ready to defend Greenfield from Dark Age invaders, but it is more likely to see stinging verse fired from its parapets than flaming arrows. 

Know Before You Go

You can easily access this observation spot via a paved road with a speed limit of 20 mph. There is also a lookout complete with stone benches that boil in the sun off to the side of the parking spaces for the tower. Picturesque views for a picnic spot.

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