BIG KNOB
Pennsylvania - Perry County - Tuscarora State Forest
June 29, 1921: "Two steel fire towers probably will be erected in the Tuscarora State Forest District this summer by the Pennsylvania Department of Forestry. It is planned to put one tower on the Big Knob between the Tuscarora and Conococheague Mountains north of Blain." (The Sentinel)
October 4, 1921: "The State Telephone lines in the state forests in the western end of the county have been completed. They extend from New Germantown to Horse Valley a distance of about four miles. From this line a line is run to Big Knob, a distance of about three and one-half miles from where it connects with the Horse Valley line. Eventually this system will be connected with the Perry County telephone system. At Big Knob there is erected a 70-foot steel tower, from which point the eye can see practically all the land owned by the State in that territory. A telephone will be placed at the top of the lookout tower." (The News)
October 19, 1921: "The Department of Forestry has erected a 60-foot steel forest fire observation tower on Big Knob, between the Tuscarora and Connocochcaque mountains, in Jackson township, Perry county. This is one of the fifty similar towers that has been put up by the Department of Forestry during the last three months in various parts of the state.
The tower was constructed under the supervision of District Forester H. E. Bryner, of Blain, and it is now manned by J. E. Odell, of New Germantown, who has been engaged as a forest fire observer. He went on duty for the fall fire season on October 1.
Forester Bryner has reported to the Department of Forestry that he has completed the construction of a telephone line from the new tower to Forest Ranger Zeigler's headquarters, in Horse Valley. The line is about six miles long, and there are connections with the Perry County Telegraph and Telephone Company line, at New Germantown, and with the ranger's headquarters, at the Cole House.
The new tower, with its direct telephone connections, will enable Forester Bryner and his assistants to summon assistance for the quick extinction of all forest fires that may be detected from the tower. For the comfort and convenience of the towerman, a new cabin, 10 feet by 12 feet, has been put up at the base of the tower." (The Perry County Democrat)
November 30, 1931: "Weather stations giving twenty-four-hour service daily will be established about the middle of December to afford protection to airplanes on Big Knob, Perry County, near Blain, and at the Coatesville airport, it has been announced by Charles S. Ling, head of the Harrisburg Weather Bureau.
Both stations will be under the direction of the local weather bureau and will b e provided with the latest reports to guide the aviators. On Big Knob, the station will be located at the lookout tower of the State Forestry Department, over which airplanes pass on a direct route between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. A beacon is also provided on the ridge." (The Evening News)
February 3, 1932: "All United States Weather Bureau equipment has been installed in the Big Knob Air Weather Station on Big Knob, near Blain. Big Knob is 2200 feet in height.
The equipment installed consists of a ceiling light, an instrument used to measure cloud heights, thermometers, ceiling baloons, which are flown during the day, an aneroid barometer and an anemometer, which are electrically equipped to record weather conditions. The station is equipped with a beacon, which has been placed on the top of the fire tower seventy-two feet high near the Tuscarora Mountain spur. All of the equipment is in operation now.
This station is considered important because of the nearby high peaks, which are dangerous to fliers. It was in this section that two women fliers were killed several weeks ago." (The Perry County Democrat)
November 18, 1932: "Mrs. Elizabeth Nethkin has returned to her home here after spending some time at Big Knob lookout tower where her husband is employed at weather reporter and fire warden." (The News-Chronicle)
November 1, 1933: "Mrs. Frank Nethkin is spending some time at the tower on Big Knob." (The Perry County Democrat)
April 5, 1935: "Mrs. Frank Nethkin has returned to her home at this place, after spending the winter at the tower on Big Knob." (The News-Chronicle)
January 29, 1936: "Groceries and provisions were dropped from an army airplane just before dusk tonight at the mountain-top cabin where Frank Nethkin, 60-year-old fire towerman, has been snow-bound for 10 days.
The provisions arrived as he ate his last loaf of bread.
Huge snow drifts almost block the cottage from the landscape, where Nethkin lives alone, making weather observations and watching for forest fires.
Through a strong glass, Nethkin said he could see men shoveling snowdrifts from a highway five miles away.
The look-out is about 40 miles from Harrisburg, on Big Knob, in Perry county." (Bradford Era)
The provisions arrived as he ate his last loaf of bread.
Huge snow drifts almost block the cottage from the landscape, where Nethkin lives alone, making weather observations and watching for forest fires.
Through a strong glass, Nethkin said he could see men shoveling snowdrifts from a highway five miles away.
The look-out is about 40 miles from Harrisburg, on Big Knob, in Perry county." (Bradford Era)
February 19, 1936: "Charles Long, State fish warden, of East Waterford, Juniata County, was the first human being Frank Nethkin, forest fire tower keeper in Perry County, saw in thirty-eight days. Nethkin has been fed by airplane. but Long got through to him on snow shoes Sunday and spent some time at his mountain cabin. Warden Long covered a thirty-inch deep stretch of snow during his eighteen-mile trip over the hills." (The Evening News)