Date Visited: July 30, 2016
Location: 8 Scott Tower Rd, Holyoke, MA, behind the Community Field Park at 51 Community Field Park, Holyoke, MA
Hours: Open everyday, no hours listed but it can be dangerous at night
Cost: Free
Parking: Roughly a couple of dozen parking spots are available at Community Field
Dog Friendly: Yes
Time To Allot For Visit: Between half and hour and an hour
Highlights: the tower, pretty views of West Springfield and the surrounding area, wildlife, plant life, easy mile hike
Lowlights: Graffiti all over the tower (all. over), a lot of broken bottles and other litter on the premises, some stairs to the top of the tower have holes in them or are missing, tower not accessible by car
Fun For One: Yes
The walk to the tower is an easy mile walk with a few moderate inclines. An easy way to locate the trail to Scott Tower is to look for the overpass. Walk directly under the overpass and stay on the asphalt trail. There are a lot of side trails and trees, plants, graffiti and remnants of what looks like used to be a waterfall or wall. Now, the party days are way behind the Nomad but zig zags and 4:20? Well, I guess things don’t change that much after all. You crazy Holyoke kids.
Below is a side by side comparison of what the tower reportedly looked like in its heyday (July 16, 1972), a photo of what it looked like in May 31, 2004 and what it looks like now (July 30, 2016). Yes, it’s pretty cringe worthy.
As a footnote, the tower was originally built in 1942. Also, there used to be a fence around the tower which you can see at the bottom of the second photo taken in 2004. The fence seemed to work as there is very little if any graffiti on the tower in the second photo. Of course, the fence was torn down (presumably by visitors) and the graffiti and vandalism escalated.
There was also a lot of rustling in the brush from squirrels, chipmunks and other types of wildlife. The vulture on the pole we saw on the way to the tower seemed like a bad harbinger.
Once the main attraction of Craft Hill at Anniversary Hill Park, Scott Tower is now a shell of what it once was. Graffiti and litter cover the tower and it appears to be in disrepair. In fact, you can see some remnants of what look like what used to be tables or shelters. Even with all of the graffiti and litter, the tower is still impressive.
Not all of the graffiti was just messy chicken scratch. Whenever I go to a landmark in MA, especially Western MA, there is bound to be some artistic renderings. There wasn’t anything too artsy there but these images did catch my eye.
Scott Tower has two areas for observation. There is an observation deck on the second floor and there is an enclosed area at the top of the tower. The tower offers views of nearby Mount Tom and the Holyoke area. The views are pretty sweet. Just be careful if you do go to the top. Some of the stairs are missing or have holes in them.
It’s pretty far down from the second floor of the tower.
The tricky thing about accessing Scott Tower is you have to park at Community Field Park (use the entrance off Cherry St). The entrance is behind the park. There is usually a gate up that you can easily navigate around. You will have to pass under an overpass on your way to the tower. It is about a mile walk to the tower. You will see many side trails on your way to the tower but stay on the main trail for the easiest, most direct route.
While I was at Community Field Park before we began the walk to Scott Tower, we saw this beautiful dog. Remy is a 4 year old Black and Tan Coonhound
Below are some videos of a walking tour of the tower. I really had to watch my step in the first video. So, it’s mostly a video of the stairs and me wheezing.
I had to stop the second video so I could take some photos of the openings in the tower and the walls.
Just as an aside, I am regularly updating my categories at the top and bottom of my posts. The “fun for one” category at the top simply means it can be fun to do by yourself. Being a single person, I often take this into account before I decide to photograph or visit places. I went with my mom this time so it was a lot of fun but it was something you could do by yourself or, better yet, with a dog!
Similar places in New England I have visited:
Similar places in New England I have not visited (yet):
Scargo Tower, Dennis (Cape Cod), MA
Newport Tower, Newport, Rhode Island
New England Nomad 
August 5th, 2016 at 1:30 am
Cool tower, great views. Shame about the graffiti.
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August 5th, 2016 at 1:31 am
Thank you. Yes, it is a shame. ) :
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August 5th, 2016 at 3:09 am
Scott Tower appears to be a treasure. Have you he local “authorities” talked about saving it or is it a case of “out of sight, out of mind”?
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August 5th, 2016 at 3:19 am
I agree it is a treasure. For the most part it is a case of “out of sight out if mind”, unfortunately. Sadly, I think the only way to preserve it would be to put a fence, gate or wall (how redundant would it be to have a wall in front of a tower?). But, like I always say, “this is why we can’t have nice things.” The graffiti and vandalism seems especially prevalent in the western part of MA, though. I go all over New England and it’s not as bad in other areas, even in the bigger cities. It’s really strange.
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August 5th, 2016 at 2:38 pm
Very interesting. Too bad about all the graffiti on the tower.
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August 5th, 2016 at 6:39 pm
I know! It’s a shame. It must look beautiful when it is untarnished. Thank you.
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August 7th, 2016 at 11:25 am
A kiln of some kind?
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August 9th, 2016 at 10:37 am
It looks like one but it’s only a tower
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August 9th, 2016 at 4:06 am
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE’S ATTEMPT AT A BLAST FURNACE AND SMOKE STACK!
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August 9th, 2016 at 10:41 am
Ir could have been designed better! Thank you for the reblog!
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August 29th, 2017 at 11:26 pm
I’ve been metal detecting up there a few times over the past 17 years or so, cool place, found some old stuff up there…
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August 30th, 2017 at 12:45 am
I bet you found some really interesting stuff there! What is the coolest or oddest thing you’ve found?
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August 30th, 2017 at 5:18 pm
A 1850’s french napoleon coin up near the tower …Down below near 91 found a 1787 fugio cent my oldest dated coin… cool place found lots of other stuff but those are my oldest dated finds…
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August 30th, 2017 at 5:30 pm
That’s really cool!
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May 30th, 2019 at 8:20 pm
Hi, I just randomly found pictures of this place online and found your blog, I love it. I live in California so it’s so great, it’s like a virtual tour.
What was this tower and the other’s like it used for when it was open? Just a fire tower?
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June 5th, 2019 at 9:51 pm
Thank you Jason! Sorry for not responding quicker. The tower was actually part of a extensive park where people would often go with their family and friends to picnic and spend the day. It has obviously gone into disrepair and there has been talk about repairing the tower and possibly even revitalizing the park. You can still see areas where there were fire pits and benches. The tower itself was open to the public and it still is except for a few stairwells that are no longer safe to climb which have been blocked off. It was built in 1942 to be used as an observation tower. You can find more info about it here: https://ashleyrphoto.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/scott-tower/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-9
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June 6th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Hi All:Actually the tower was erected during the depression (1930s) and was a WPA project. Somewhere near the tower base there is a stone tablet commemorating the Springfield police officer (Walter Scott) after which the tower is named. You are correct that during WWII it was used as an observation tower. My older brother was a Boy Scout at the time and spent some time at the tower as an observer. Luckily, no German bombers made it to Westover Airfare Base. David C.
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June 6th, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Thank you for the info David. I didn’t see the tablet possibly because of all of the overgrowth and the overall clutter of the area. I do hope they clean up the place.
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June 6th, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Thank you both for the reply and information! So interesting, such a neat looking place, I agree with everyone else it would be a great thing to restore!
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June 6th, 2019 at 9:48 pm
Yes, I’d love to photograph it again after they clean it up!
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August 16th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
Hi Wayne:
I grew up in Holyoke and graduated HHS in !954. As a youngster I recall being driven up to the tower by my parents and picnicking at one of the several tables and strolling along the well kept foot paths. It is truly regrettable that this lovely getaway for Holyoke’s working class has fallen into such neglect and disrepair. Such are the times, I guess.
Has there every been a plan for restoration? I confident todays Holyoke-ers would enjoy a refreshing place for some R & R.
Damn those paint spay cans and those that use them to deface such fine structures.
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August 16th, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Hey David, Interestingly enough, there was a vote recently to increase taxes to renovate certain areas in the community and Scott Tower was one of the places that was considered to be renovated with the tax payer money from these taxes. Here is a link to the article: https://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2018/04/scott_tower_train_station_amon.html
One take away from the news story is that 50 people showed up to decide or offer their opinions. Fifty. That is pretty sad. Fifty people are going to help decide what to do for the entire city. Of course the pols will do whatever they want to in the end regardless of what people might suggest.
I remember seeing photos of what the park once looked like and it was a very pretty park and the tower was impressive. It is a shell of it itself now. I also remembered thinking that if they did renovate the tower, or rebuild it, they would probably have to build a fence around it and not allow people in it. This is why we can’t have nice things. It’s a shame.
Thanks for the comment.
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May 13th, 2019 at 10:39 am
I visited your blog again. It’s always fun to stop by. I hate to see graffiti. It is so disrespectful. Folks just don’t have enough work to do I guess. Sad shift in our culture change
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May 13th, 2019 at 11:26 pm
Thank you for stopping by! Yes, the graffiti is disheartening to see.
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