Bancroft Tower, Stone folly tower in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Bancroft Tower is a 56-foot granite structure in Worcester featuring corner towers with crenellations, a central circular tower, and a stone archway entrance. The natural granite blocks are precisely fitted to create a solid, castle-like form standing in the park.
Stephen Salisbury III commissioned the tower in 1900 to honor George Bancroft, a Worcester-born historian and political figure who had connections to his father. This early 1900s construction reflected a common practice of building stone monuments to celebrate local historical figures.
The tower displays early American architectural traditions that blend medieval castle styles with regional materials and construction methods. Visitors notice how local granite and stone-building techniques shape its appearance and form.
The tower sits in Salisbury Park west of Park Avenue and south of Drury Lane in Worcester's northwest section. Access is straightforward through the park grounds, which allow visitors to walk around and observe the structure from multiple angles.
Two half-compass markers are embedded in the ground near the tower, pointing toward other hills in Worcester's Seven Hills system. These details often go unnoticed by visitors but connect this location to the city's wider geography and layout.
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