In the spring of 1919, the Huangge area faced a relentless threat from pirates and mountain bandits. To protect their lives and property, the villagers of Lianxi commissioned the Liao Chun Company to build a network of defensive watchtowers. Haitou Fortress emerged from this period of anxiety and conflict.

The structure commands attention with its sheer physical weight. Rising 15 meters into the air, the square tower rests on a massive granite foundation that reaches four meters high on its front facade. The walls, built from a sturdy mix of blue brick, stone, wood, and lime-sand cement, are 80 centimeters thick. High on the exterior, just below the projecting roof parapet, three black characters proudly announce its origins: 'Built by Liao Chun.' Inside, the fortress was a machine for survival. Defenders patrolled a 1.2-meter-wide interior corridor at the top, supported by stepped pillars that doubled as ladders. They kept watch through specially angled gun loopholes—wider on the inside and narrower on the outside—designed to maximize their field of vision while minimizing exposure to enemy fire. When lookouts spotted an approaching threat, they shouted warnings down through a network of bamboo communication tubes, prompting the militia below to sound horns and fire warning shots. Lianxi Village once relied on ten of these strongholds to guard its entrances and intersections.

As the bandit threat faded over the decades, most were dismantled. Haitou Fortress survived. Following a comprehensive government restoration in 2018, it now anchors the village's cultural tourism route. Standing near the ancient Mai Clan Ancestral Hall, the tower offers visitors a direct connection to a time when the community's survival depended on thick walls and constant vigilance.