FFLA News

Some new links to check out!

North Carolina FFLA Chapter Home Page

Kootenai National Forest - History and Lookouts (PDF)

This year's Passport in Time Lookout Projects could use your help!

Special Pin that will be handed out

On August 4, JBI Helicopters airlifted a new tower cab to Mount Magalloway, last replaced in the 1960s.

WASHINGTON
North 20-Mile L-4 tower
North 20-Mile D-6 cupola
First Butte LO
Oregon Butte LO
Table Rock LO

OREGON
Aldrich Butte LO
Flagtail Mtn. LO

IDAHO
Little Snowy Top LO
Surveyors Ridge LO
Mallard Peak LO
Chair Point LO
Heaven's Gate LO
Horse Heaven LO cabin (tower gone)
Split Creek Point LO
Meadow Creek LO
Silver Creek LO
Scott Mt LO
Whitehawk LO
Squaw Butte LO

On August 19, 2006, the FFLA presented the NHLR certificate for Deasey Mountain Lookout in a small ceremony in Stacyville, Maine. Members of the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) have been repairing the lookout and are scheduled to finish the restoration at the end of September 2006.

Also honored at the ceremony was Ed Werler. He was the fire watchman at Deasey lookout from 1947 to 1949. The IAT presented Ed with a laminated copy of the Deasey Mountain Map Table map. Ed also recently wrote a book about his experiences entitled " THE CALL OF KATAHDIN". The book contains pictures of the fire lookout and the cabin he and his wife, Mary Jane, lived in while he watched the surrounding forest for "smokes"

This 65 ft scale model of a lookout tower at the Minnesota State Fair will be open to the public during the 2006 Minnesota State Fair - 8/24 -9/04.

For more information on the Minnesota State Fair, see their website at -

http://www.mnstatefair.org/

An update to the 6/18/06 News Article - Harris Mountain Tower was removed on 7/26/2006. FFLA has arranged to salvage a few portions of the tower due to its historical significance.

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands has begun a project to rehab 3 Maine Towers -

Allgash Mountain Tower, T7 R14 WELS
Round Pond Mountain, T13 R12 WELS
Deboullie Mountain, T15 R9 WELS

The repairs are significant and should keep these towers sound for many years to come:

1) Cab replacement
2) Ladder Maintenance and Ladder Cage installation
3) Footing Replacement
4) Guy Wire Replacement
5) Steel Painting

The Notice to Contractors states the work is required to be done by October 20, 2006.

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is interested in selling what is left of the Waltham Fire Tower on Prospect Hill. An offer as low as $1.00 would be accepted. Anyone interested can contact Henry Isenberg.

See the Watham Tower Page for more data on this tower.

Maine Preservation announced its 11th annual list of Maine's Most Endangered Historic Properties at a press conference outside the Kennebec County Court House in downtown Augusta.

Amongst the 6 selections this year, the Stockholm Mountain Fire Tower in Stockholm ME was nominated. The town wants to save this structure and create a public recreation area with the Tower as a historical part. With "Endangered" status, it raises local awareness and helps focus on efforts to preserve. FFLA will work with the town on preservation efforts.

The full press release can be found at -

http://www.mainepreservation.com/Endangered/2006MostEndangered.shtml

The remains of Harris Mountain Lookout in Dixmont is planned to be removed by the Maine Forest Service within the next month. Currently, only the superstructure and platform remains. This lookout has been deterioraing for years and FFLA and other organizations were not able to locate an appropriate caretaker/owner for it. This lookout also had its share of vandalism over the years, contributing to much of its demise. The Maine Forest Service is now left with no choice as the structure is a safety hazard, especially due to the site being frequently visited by vandals and youngsters using it as a party site.

Austin Wilkins, the former commissioner, had rescued the former Federal lookout from Pennsylvania in the Allegheny National Forest and had it transported to Maine and re-erected in 1940. It was a very unique tower style for the Northeast. An inspection tour of the site was conducted in March of 2006 and can be found at this link - http://www.firelookout.org/towers/me/harris-032006.htm

The oldest original standing Fire Tower in Massachusetts, erected in 1926, is scheduled to be demolished within the next 3-4 weeks. The MA Department of Conservation accepted bids this week for the removal. For those that would like to see the tower for the last time, there is not much time left.

Details on this Unique tower can be found on the Mass Tower Page -

http://www.firelookout.org/towers/ma/holbrook.htm

UPDATE - This tower was removed 5/25/06. The last standing photos will be posted shorty.

Numerous buildings and communication equipment on the mountain were destroyed sometime between nine and ten thirty p.m. on Saturday night. Preliminary damage estimates exceed one hundred thousand dollars.

The location of the incident is 7 miles east of I-5 off old Highway 99 near Jumpoff Joe Creek, north of Grants Pass.

OSP Arson & Explosive Detectives are conducting an investigation and are asking for the public's help with information that will lead to identifying suspects in this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact Oregon State Police Southern Communications Center.

Thanks for Bill Spach who located this nice historical article on Greenville, Maine area Towers.

Some good news out of Maine. A local group has performed significant repairs to the Deasey Mountain Lookout. Repair work will continue and complete in 2006.

The full article can be found at this link - http://www.firelookout.org/rest-rest2005Deasey.htm

Timmonsville, South Carolina tower for sale

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6023776685&fromMakeTrack=true

We are pleased to report that the Mt. Adams Chapter (part of Eastern Washington) has removed most of East Flattop Lookout at Trout Lake and stored it until a site can be located for reconstruction.

Announcing the establishment of the Mohican Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association serving NE Ohio sponsored by the Mohican Trails Club. We do not yet have a State Director for Ohio, but we do have an excellent FFLA Area Rep., Andy Penfield, who has completed an inventory of standing fire towers and former sites (see the web link to his Ohio tower site). The Mohican Chapter Website can be found at this link - http://www.mohicantrails.org/ffla

In addition, the Mohican tower has been nominated to the National Historic Lookout Register.

New Rhode Island Sub Chapters Announced

Northern RI - Covers the towns of, Burrillville, North Smithfield, Woonsockett, Lincoln, Cumberland, Foster, Glocester, Scituate, Smithfield, Johnston, North Providence, Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, Cranston. With 13 known tower sites, It's being Headed by Thomas Angell.

Southern RI - Covers the towns of, Warwick, West Warwick, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Coventry, Exeter, North Kingstown, Narragansett, South Kingstown, Richmond, Hopkinton, Charlestown. Westerly and New Shoreham. With 7 known tower sites it's being headed by Henry Wright.

East Bay RI - Covers the towns of Jamestown, Middletown, Newport, Little Compton, Tiverton, Portsmouth, East Providence, Bristol, Warren and Barrington. With 2 known tower sites. This sub chapter is presently under the direction of the Southern New England Chapter Director until someone to head the sub chapter can be found.

Three Florida fire towers up for bid (towers only, no land)

Carrabelle, Hosford, and Rosedale

Bids will be opened September 13

Bid Invitation:
http://fcn.state.fl.us/owa_vbs/owa/vbs_www.ad.view_ad?advertisement_key_num=49691

Bid Packet:
http://fcn.state.fl.us/owa_vbspdf/owa/49691_SOPDF050619_0_0.pdf

Thanks to the help of a wonderful team of Passport in Time volunteers (and some drop-in retirees and FS staff), we wrapped up the first phase of stabilization work on the historic Bull of the Woods fire lookout on Saturday. Without the help of Ernie Strahme, volunteer packer, and his four mules, this would have been very difficult to accomplish. Counting his efforts, the volunteers put in 441 hours last week toward the historic preservation project. Don Allen (far left on catwalk) provided most of the tools and equipment and designed the special plywood boxes to transport the windows (by mule) off the mountain.

He and lookout specialist Rob Hoeye and masonry expert Bruce Hake taught us a great deal about proper restoration and repair. Primary accomplishments included: (1) repair and refacing of concrete piers; (2) reconstruction of stone approach steps; (3) cleaning of entire lookout cabin interior; (4) removal of all south and west wall windows for sash/glazing repair; (5) installation of temporary window covers; (6) removal of broken and damaged shutters; (7) priming and painting of three exterior walls and outriggers; (8) removal of deteriorated shingles on east roof slope - installation of temporary roof covering; (9) removal of damaged flooring; (10) clearing of small trees from around tower foundation.

This is a significant historic building - assembled by the Zigzag CCC camp and erected in 1942 - determined eligible to the National Register in 1993 (thanks Jill!) - still used during high fire danger -- and definitely an L-4 type example worth saving! Thanks goes to District Ranger Andrei Rykoff for all his support for this project. We look forward to a continuing relationship with Don Allen and the Sand Mountain Society for subsequent phases of stabilization and restoration.

Maine's Mount Blue Tower was recently removed by the Maine Forest Service. The owners of the land where the tower stood, Blue Hill Heritage Trust, could not come to an agreement with the town of Mount Blue, where negotiations were ongoing to try to find a way to keep the tower and fund its maintenance.

Ultimately, there was insufficient funding available, so the tower was removed by the Maine Forest Service at the request of the Blue Hill Heritage Trust.

The full story is available at the Bangor Daily News Website.

I am a historian working on a study of a network of 1940s microwave towers deployed by Western Union linking New York, Washington, and Pittsburgh. Western Union, in consultation with the US Forest Service, decided to use a steel tower based on the L-1600 series (with some modifications tailored to Western Union's communications program). I have a 3rd or 4th generation photocopy of the 1938 "Standard Lookout Tower Structure Plans" and unfortunately the dimensions for many of the drawings are blurred/illegible and some of the pages are cut off. I am trying to locate a better, legible copy of these drawings plus 1940s (late)-era Aermotor steel tower catalogs. I have a few from the 1920s showing LS- and LX-series towers but no Aermotor docs for the L-1600 series.

Any guidance/assistance would be greatly appreciated and appropriately acknowledged.

David S. Rotenstein, Ph.D.
Consulting Historian
10308 Edgewood Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Phone: (301) 592-0646
E-mail: david.rotenstein@earthlink.net

News from the Cohos Trail newsletter

TRAIL VOLUNTEER NOTES

Nearly 70 people came out during National Trails Day to help ferry materials up two miles of trail to the fire tower on Vermont's Mount Monadnock, standing high over the Connecticut River valley across the river from Colebrook, New Hampshire. Organizers of the event were astonished by the number of folks who volunteered for the project. The fire tower now boasts all new steps, landings and tower cab deck. Its a must do trip. Standing as it does high above the upper Connecticut River valley, with scores of blue ridges and ranges rippling in the distance, the tower offers a world class view of rural, mountainous New England.

Here on the Bridger-Teton National Forest we have 2 fire lookouts that are in need of repair. We have taken some steps in bring the lookout up to a useable standard. We several years ago purchased building materials to repair the lookouts. I think we have enough material for 2 fire lookouts. Our big hang-up has been time to get the job done with the fire seasons that we've had.

The two lookouts that we are trying to work on are located on the Greys River Ranger District.

Cabin Creek Lookout- windows are repaired and in place. Location T33N
R117W SW1/4 Sec 3

Elk Creek Lookout windows are being repaired Location
T37N R117W NW1/4 Sec 24

I have access to original plans for the lookouts. I can't remember the style number that Region 4 used.

The lookouts sit on the ground. All the interior has been removed on both lookouts. We are looking at having these lookout for rent in the future and for use as fire lookouts again.

For those interested, give me a call and we can talk about what help is out there. Call the number below or e-mail.

Thanks,

Dean Burnham
Fire Prevention Officer
Bridger-Teton National Forest
307-885-1332

A collection of Maine Tower Reports I received from Richard Marble dated 2004 and 2005:

Bigelow Mountain, Dead River Township
The tower on Bigelow is still there. Recently (this past fall) someone broke out one of the windows so that now people can get into it. Other than that it is locked up. The camp is still there and used by A. T. volunteers.

Deer Mountain, Cupsuptic
I hiked up Deer Mtn. in Cupsuptic a couple weeks ago. The tower has been gone for some time but there are still parts and pieces there. I also found some initials in the concrete tower foundation with the intials WDH. The top has two small rises about two hundred feet apart with the tower location in the western side. My AMC guide said there was no trail any longer but I found the old trail up top.

Mount Abraham, Mt.Abraham Township
The tower on Mount Abram is still there but the box is gone. The old fire wardens cabin at the foot of the mountain is still there and is used by hikers. It is in very poor shape.

If you like to hike here in the Adirondacks, we would like your input about the fire towers. Do you like to hike to them? Do you mind seeing them when you are hiking? Do you feel they spoil the beauty of the "wilderness"? We are trying to save Hurricane Mountain Fire Tower and if you agree with us that is a worthwhile effort, would you please send us a letter to that effect? We need more letters, more signatures on petitions. To adopt it, renovate it, maintain it we must convince the DEC and APA that not all hikers and canoers think the towers are eyesores!

The address for letters is:

Friends of Hurricane Fire Tower
Box 426
Elizabethtown, NY 12932

http://www.paulbunyan.net/mnfiretower/

The Fire Tower on Monadnock Montain in Lemington, Vermint will soon be getting some long overdue repairs. The cab floor, steps, and landings will all be replaced this spring with the help of the Northeast Kingdom section of the Green Mountain Club.

More volunteers are needed to help carry in materials and tools. If you are interested in helping in any way, please call Kevin Williamson at 802-222-5951 or mail at P.O Box 68, Bradford, Vermont 05033.

A researcher is seeking data and/or experiences from lookouts. See this link for the project details.

Are you or have you ever been a lookout in Montana? Are you interested in the challenges facing Montana lookouts? The Montana Discovery Foundation, a 501c(3) based in Helena, is launching a lookout newsletter focusing on Montana's lookouts and lookout issues. This newsletter will be produced twice a
year and cover the previous (fall issue) or upcoming (spring issue) fire season. The purpose of the newsletter is to assist in defining the role of this historic position in the face of the constantly evolving fire and communications structures as well as answering questions about weather, maintenance issues, and answers to visitor questions. Individual histories of lookouts from any time period will be highlighted in each issue.

If you would be interested in contributing to or receiving the first newsletter, please contact Samsara Chapman, email:samsarachapman@fs.fed.us, mail: 2880 Skyway Drive, Helena, MT 59602, phone 406-495-3718, or fax 406- 449-5436. For more information about the Foundation, please visit their
website: http://www.montanadiscoveryfoundation.org.

Calpine Lookout has become the first Tahoe NF lookout available for rent. Calpine is an "L-7" enclosed windmill-style tower with a "BC-3" cab, and was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The windmill style of lookout was very popular throughout California, used by the U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and some counties. Calpine is one of the few remaining windmill-style lookouts and has been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

It was an active lookout until 1975 and is still used on an as-needed basis. The structure consists of a
ground floor storage room, a middle sleeping room and the observation cab on top. Restoration took several years, but was completed in large part thanks to funding allocated by the Sierra County Resource
Advisory Committee, which allocates Federal Payments to States funding for projects on national forest lands in the county.

Calpine Lookout is located about 35 miles northwest of Truckee, just outside the small community of Calpine. For more information, visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe on the internet or contact the Sierraville Ranger District at 530-994-3401.

Thanks to Ray Grimes for his years of service as Secretary. We welcome Bob Spear who was elected as Historian/Archivist. Rob Hoeye moved over to Secretary, and Dave Bula was reelected Dep. Chair/West.

A researcher is seeking lookout records or any lookouts that are still around from the 20s. See this link for the project details.

Mount Agamenticus, Maine, May 23, 2004

The York County Fire Fighters will be holding the dedication of the David N Hilton memorial on Sunday, May 23, 2004, at 1:00 PM at Mount Agamenticus, Maine.

All three fire lookout towers in York County will be recognized at the dedication: Mount Agamenticus, Mount Hope, and Ossipee Hill. They ask that all fire fighters in attendance please wear their "Class A" dress uniforms.

Directions to Mount Agamenticus from Route 1 in Cape Neddick (York): At Flo's Hot Dog Stand, take Mountain Road and go over Route 95. At the stop sign, turn right. Continue up Mountain Road until you see the sign for the Mount Agamenticus summit. Turn right and drive to the top of the mountain.

The newly-formed Ohio chapter has posted an early 2004 Chapter Report

Harris Mountain Tower - April 2004

We have all been very concerned about the condition of the Harris Mountain Fire Tower in Dixmont ME. There has been no answers to the calls for help for this tower. We have received a recent report on the tower from Glen:

I finally made it back up to the Harris Mtn. Fire Tower. Yes it's still standing, but as the attached pictures show the top decking is getting shaky. The amazing thing is the main structure still seems pretty solid.

I did decipher some markings on the bolt washers holding the structure together which may be of interest: "MOLINE IRON WORKS, MALL 34 IN". I assume the second half of these markings may refer to the size: 3/4 of an inch. Moline, Illinois must have been the site of the Malleable (MALL) Iron works. I hope this has been helpful and will keep you posted if anything else develops.

Glenn

Pinewood fire tower move to the fair grounds - all the steps have been sold!!!!!!!!!

We have sold out and raised $10,520.00 and the move MAY be done before the fair starts, but the grand opening will not be until the 2005 fair. Check the web site: http://www.paulbunyan.net/pinewood

Dave

From Marty Podskoch:

Bob Rice called me and said he is in the process of moving the Cornell fire tower in the Luther Forest (Malta) near Saratoga to Camp Saratoga in Wilton. He need help in taking the tower down and re-erecting it. If you could help him with suggestions or physical help, please call or e-mail him at rrice1@nycap.rr.com or (518-577-1110)

He is a graduate of Wanbakena and a forester. This is a Rotary Club project to move it from private land to thon land.

Thanks for helping,
Marty Podskoch

Jill A. Osborn has been appointed to the recently formed Southern Idaho FFLA Chapter.

More details to come.

The Adirondack Mountain Club has passed a resolution which will allow for the retention and maintenance of the Mount Adams fire tower. This arrangement will occur after the balance of 6000 acres is transferred to the state later this year for inclusion in the High Peaks Wilderness.

More information may be found at the Adirondack Mountain Club Web Site.

I wanted to notify you that we are planning to relocate the Baltic Lookout from its current location in the National Forest to the El Dorado County fairgrounds. The lookout site has been heavily vandalized over the past decade and we are afraid that the tower will be destroyed at its current remote location. The Fairgrounds site will allow for thousands of visitors each year to see the tower and learn about its history through an interpretive display.

If you have information you feel the Forest Service may not be aware of, or you feel you have issues (points of dispute, debate, or disagreement) regarding potential effects of this proposal, please send these in writing to me at the Placerville Ranger District Office (4260 Eight Mile Road, Camino, CA, 95709) on or before April 20, 2004."

Email: khardy@fs.fed.us

The Cherokee is renovating the 7 ft x 7 ft cab of an Aermotor steel firetower that was erected in 1933 on Oswald Dome on Chilhowee Mountain. The tower has been taken down. The cab will be used for interpretative purposes after it is set up on a site at the former 1996 whitewater Olympic site on the Ocoee River. The problem: one of the tilt out windows was stolen. We are searching for a replacement. The window is approx. 38 1/2 inchs x 40 inches. Note the detail of the steel frame.

A photo of the window can be found here

Jerry D. Barrow
Facilities Engineer/Forest Trail Coordinator
Cherokee National Forest, Cleveland, TN.
Office:423-476-9700, Direct 423-476-9776
Fax: 423-339-8626

Lets all welcome Ed Walsh as the new Maine Director.

The Chairman’s Award Certificate for Outstanding Service goes to Wyoming director Pat Lynch and the Western Heritage Company, of Loveland, Colorado for their role in producing the FFLA brochure.

Congratulations to Pat Lynch and Company!

An article in the Concord Monitor - "Fire officials don't want towers closed"

Many lookout towers contain electronic communications gear. Under this proposal, these may be wiped out and replaced with straight communications towers. See the below link for the story:

http://www.dsrotenstein.com/pdf/sia-towers-article.pdf

Dedication photos by Sumner Dole (2003 NHLR ceremonies)

Snowshoe Tower, WV Restored. The Story is here.

The below link will bring you to a newspaper story from the Saranac Lake, NY newspaper published December 6, 2003. It shows how a small group of residents and hikers are fighting to save the fire tower on St. Regis Mountain in the northern Adirondacks.

If you would like to help David Petrelle, you can contact him at: davidpetrelli@hotmail.com

Article from the Adirondack Daily Enterprise

There is a new website focusing on Colorado lookouts, found at: http://www.coloradolookouts.com
The site was designed for the Colorado/Utah chapter of the FFLA, but it is hoped that anyone interested in the region's lookouts will enjoy the site. The pages are still being developed and much of the historical information on individual lookouts is being sorted out. If anyone has any suggestions or things they'd like to see on the site, feel free to email Colorado FFLA member Tim Worth at tworth87@yahoo.com.

In recent news of note: in the October 2003 issue of Environmental History, a publication of the Forest History Society, two recent articles from the FFLA Newsletter are cited under their "journal articles" bibliographic update. Effectively this means Cheryl Oakes, their archivist, is reading the newsletter and abstracting information of interest. Since she and her staff also offer to provide access to these (and other) articles, it means our people are getting pretty wide play. It also means we have an obligation to see that FHS gets the newsletter, and that the material in it is well done and at least some of it of permanent value. FHS archives a lot of other forest history related material as well.

District Ranger, Joe Dabney, accepts the National Historic Lookout Register certificates for all three standing lookout towers remaining on the Sylamore and St. Francis Ranger Districts. The Sylamore towers are Push Mountain and Sugerloaf (also on the National Register of Historic Places). Horn Tower is on the St. Francis. The latter two towers were part of a tower tour in January, 2001, for the Forest Fire Lookout Association’s annual Directors meeting in Helena, Arkansas. Presenting the certificates and metal signs on behalf of the National Historic Lookout Register was Smoke Pfeiffer, Arkansas Chapter Director for the Forest Fire Lookout Association.

Annual Gathering of Fire Lookouts

SAT. November 15th, 2003
Round Table Pizza, McMurry Dr. Anderson, CA (I-5 EXIT)
5 P.M.

All Lookouts, Family & Friends welcome for sharing of stories from the Fire Season.

See you There!

For more info, email V.Lamoureux at vjclamoureux@aol.com

"Look Out - Trail Running to Fire Observation Lookouts"

http://www.runningtimes.com/issues/03june/trail.htm

I've been trying to keep up on which LOs are lost or threatened by fire this summer. The good news is, I know of none lost yet. Hornet Peak; no word yet if this one-of-a-kind D-1 log cupola cabin was
one of the buildings lost. It is situated just a mile or two from the origin of the 18,000 acre+ Wedge Fire (Flathead NF), which has taken a dozen homes and is now into Glacier Park near Polebridge.

Apgar; the Robert Fire, which has evacuated West Glacier, the village of Apgar, and thousands of GNP tourists, has enveloped Apgar LO. It is wrapped in silver, and yesterday I saw TV news footage indicating it's still there....

Swiftcurrent; The Glacier Park fire that started below Granite Park has slopped over the divide at Swiftcurrent Pass; but as any of you who have been to this LO know, it is safe, unless an ember tossed from timberline, 1/2 mile below, gets in under a crack.

Down in Idaho, Janet Bloemeke got chased off her Long Tom LO (Salmon NF) over a week ago by the Cramer Fire, just about the same time it claimed 2 helitac firefighters below her LO, only to
find her own home at Gibbonsville threatened by yet another fast moving fire south of Lost Trail Pass.

Also in Idaho, John Crawford got chased off his Indian Hill LO (NezPerce NF) a week ago by the Slims Fire. They've wrapped the 52-yr-old L-4 tower and the equally historic log cabin next door with old fire shelters. Now at over 7,000 acres, it has topped the hill and now has the million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness to feed on 'til winter.

The BIG One in Washington is called Farewell, N of Winthrop in the Pasayten Wilderness. Its towering smoke columns are generating their own lightning, as it moves into Canada. Now a month old, at 75,000 acres, it is fully expected to double that by the time the autumn rains
stop it in 2 months.

Ray Kresek
Fire Lookout Museum
Spokane, WA

Fire Tower Documentary - "The History of the Adirondack Fire Towers." We are currently accepting donations for the program and intend to go into production next year. Lighthouses are subjects of many documentaries, it's now time for a documentary on fire towers. See the below link for the trailer.

http://www.videosforchange.com/media/firetower.htm

Deb Shufelt
Project Manager
"The Adirondack Fire Towers"
Videos For Change
518-588-9008

I am interested in bidding on a couple of fire tower containing properties the Dept of Forestry are placing for bid. Is there anyone who could share their experience concerning the purchase of one of these properties. There are all the warnings about lead and asbestos included in the bid package. I have no desire to destroy the tower and would like to preserve it. Would anyone be able to help?

Thanks,
Ron Haynes
airbusdrvr@mindspring.com

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/07.10.03/lookouts-0328.html

I have typed up the first sheet as an excell spreadsheet and approximated the columns. I can e-mail this. I can send a photocopy of the small third sheet to anyone who sends their hard copy address along with their request.

Smoke Pfeiffer
mpfeiffer@fs.fed.us

THE LAST ALARM & SMOKE REPORTED FROM THE TOWER

We regret the passing of David Hilton (Snowy) of York, Maine and a volunteer Watchman in Mt. Agimenticus Fire tower. David served actively on the York Village Fire Dept. from 1979 to 2003. He served as a firefighter, A Lt.,& driver of the second engine out of the barn. Dave liked to be thought of as a Motor Pump Operator. Dave spent many hours volunteering with the fire dept. dedicating his time on the rehab unit to other communities, weekly web page fire log, his own Tower web site featuring towers, Author of ,"FROM YORK TO THE ALLAGASH FIRE LOOKOUTS OF MAINE".

He was a member for years of the York County Fire Investigators, served as a dispatcher for the Portsmouth, N.H fire Dept., was currently a dispatcher for the TAC9 Paging System where, with his collection of radios and support, could copy fires and emergencies over all of New England. He was instrumental in forming the Southern Maine Fire Notification Radio System for reporting them to members via the radio. He was the leader in getting the three York County Fire Towers up and
running by volunteers 12 years ago and still spent many days in the tower watching for the smokes in Maine & New Hampshire.

He was currently self employed and sold fire related post cards and old bottles on "E" bay. Dave knew every radio link, every chief, every channel in Maine & New Hampshire. In the tower, he had the eyes of an eagle. We who worked with him, knew if Dave was in the tower, it would be a busy day with his vision, making us wonder if we were losing ours ,when we could not help him because we could not see the same smoke.

Dave will be missed. You knew where you stood, what was expected in the fire tower and was not bashful about letting you know his thinking. Dave suffered a massive heart attack a week ago at age 42. A service was held at the First Parish Cemetery on Wed. May 28 at 1300 hrs., following a march from the Village Station by fire fighters, towerwatchmen and friends. Our sympathy goes to his wife Diane, his daughter Laura, and his son Nick who worked with Dave in the tower and now serves on the York Village Dept. and his whole family. There can be no question the Lord had a need for someone to rehab a lookout & to form a notification network in the heavens, and as Chief Rick Plummer of the Biddeford Fire Dept, stated-a big "TENN FOAH" can be heard if you listen.

A tribute to DAVE-
From Keith R.Goodrich- Watchman at the Mt.Hope Fire Tower in Sanford, Maine

The fight to preserve the Mount Everett Firetower in the town of Mount Washington, Massachusetts is over. The tower was removed at the end of April. Mt. Washington is the first fire tower listed on the National Historic Lookout Register to be intentionally removed.

See the following Berkshire Eagle link to the full story

FFLA member Tim Worth is in the process of creating a website for the Colorado-Utah Chapter. He is looking for photos of Colorado Lookouts. Anyone helping would be given full credit for any photos used.

If you are willng to help, Contact Tim at tworth87@yahoo.com.

Kentucky News -

The Hickory flats deed has been filed and the tower is now owned by the Route 377 VFD. The department has begun cleaning up the site and hopes to start repairs on the ground house and cab in the next few weeks.

It is my sad duty to inform you of the passing of one of our past members from the Massachusetts and New Jersey Chapters. Bob Anderson of Weymouth, MA passed away February 3rd. He was one of the first members of the FFLA's MA chapter. He was the last lookout to work Holbrook Fire Tower, working there from 1988 until it closed in 1992. He then worked the Dover tower until 1999. He was always involved with the workings of the FFLA, through his ideas and suggestions. He was a good friend and co-worker and loved being a lookout and was proud of being able to protect the public's trust of the environment. He will be sorely missed by us all and as one of the finest Massachusetts lookout observers in the last 15 years! May he rest in peace.

Henry Isenberg

The Lookout Parts Store provides a source for quality reproduction and vintage components and accessories. Every effort has been made to match reproduction items to original materials, tooling, finish and quality.

Available items include "U" Connectors and Conductor Straps for lightning protection systems, Galvanized Roof Ridge Caps, Replacement Lookout Windows, and more!

The Lookout Parts Store
Box 511
61149 S. Hwy 97
Bend, OR 97702
LOOKOUTPARTS@AOL.com

HELP NEEDED!

The FFLA's Oregon Chapter has been asked to do displays at two events this summer. Director Howard Verschoor would welcome help in staffing the booths.

The first show is for the Oregon Fire Service Museum and will be at Power Steam Land in Brooks (about 5 miles north of Salem) July 26-27 and August 2-3. The chapter will once again take part in the Oregon State Fair, August 20-September 1, with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Any Oregon chapter members (or members from ANY chapter) who are able to help Howard and the FFLA at these events, please call him at 503-364-9393 or drop a note to him (3639 47th Ave NE, Apt. D - Salem, OR 97305).