In 1931, the state set aside funds for a memorial to honor Massachusetts men and women who had died during the World War. Originally designed as a lighthouse for Boston's Charles River estuary, the tower's beacon was intended "to shine each night, perpetually, to honor the memory of fallen heroes and to guide aviators in their lone night-time journeys oer the treacherous mountain range." It stands as a timeless memorial to casualties of all wars. When it was built, the beacon was the most powerful light in Massachusetts, and could be seen for 70 miles. The granite tower is 92 feet tall, and the largest blocks weigh eight tons. The tower was formally dedicated by Governor Joseph B. Ely in 1933, before a crowd of 1,200 people, in what was called "the greatest event the mountain has had."