BEAVER iSLAND
Charlevoix County
October 10, 1929: "A boatload of fire-tower steel was taken to Beaver Island recently by County Fire Warden Carson of Boyne City, who will superintend the erection of a fire tower in the vicinity of St. James. There is still a heavy stand of timber on the island and through efforts of the Beaver Island Protective Association, deer, racoon, pheasants and all forms of game life are abundant there." (Suttons Bay Courier)
October 11, 1929: "Beaver Island, containing some of the state's most beautiful timber lands, for the first time in its history, now has a fire tower.
The Fire Fighting Division of the Department of Conservation has obtained use of a federal 'triangulation' tower near St. James and is now converting it into a regulation fire tower.
Until now forests of Beaver Island have been protected against fire by Gus Milke, conservation officer and J. Green, Keyman. Because of its isolation and the fact that it is little frequented by camper, Beaver Island has been reasonable free from forest fires in the past. However, in erecting the fire tower, the division is acting upon an effort to preserve its great timber growths." (Oxford Leader)
NGS Data Sheet
DESIGNATION - BEAVER ISLAND
PID - QK0852
STATE/COUNTY- MI/CHARLEVOIX
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - BEAVER ISLAND NORTH (2017)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1931 (HWH)
ON BEAVER ISLAND, ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF SOUTH OF SETTLEMENT
OF ST. JAMES.
REACHED BY BOAT FROM CHARLEVOIX TO ST. JAMES. FROM ST.
JAMES FOLLOW MAIN GRAVEL ROAD
SOUTH 0.45 MILE, TAKE RIGHT FORK 1.8 MILES AND TURN
LEFT AT FIRE TOWER SIGN, KEEP STRAIGHT AHEAD AT
1.0 MILE AND TURN LEFT AT TOWER SIGN
AT 4.4 MILES, FOLLOW THIS ROAD 0.5 MILE AND TAKE RIGHT-HAND FORK
0.9 MILE, THENCE TURN SHARPLY
TO LEFT AT 0.1 MILE AND TO RIGHT 0.7 MILE TO STATION. DUE TO MAZE OF
TRAILS IT IS EASY TO BE MISLED,
BUT ANYONE ON ISLAND CAN DIRECT ONE TO THE TOWER.