Otter Cliffs radio receiver, 1918
Item 67315 info
National Archives at Boston
The United States Naval Radio Station was established at Otter Cliffs on Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park in August 1917. As insinuated during the German wireless espionage investigations early in the war, the coast of Maine presented a perfect opportunity for wireless transmission, due to proximity to Europe and the lack of surrounding man-made noise.
The Otter Cliffs was one of two receiving stations for wireless communication; the second at Belmar, New Jersey.
Built and outfitted by inventor Alessandro Fabbri, the radio station remained in operation until 1935 when it was replaced by a new station on the Schoodic Peninsula. Fabbri, who died in 1922, received a Naval Cross for his work at the station.
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