BROAD MOUNTAIN
Pennsylvania - Carbon County - State Game Land No. 141
February 12, 1918: "At a meeting of the Anthracite Forest Protective Association, at Palmerton. Carl Neumiller, chief forester for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, was authorized to proceed with the erection of a sixty-four foot forest fire lookout tower on an elevation about one mile west of of the state highway, on Broad Mountain, between Nesquehoning and Hudsondale. The tower, when completed, will have telephone connections and in case of fire the lookout man will notify fire wardens in any section of Carbon County." (Wilkes-Barre Times Leader)
April 1918: "In April 1918, a sixty-four foot steel tower was erected on Broad Mountain, Packer township, Carbon county. The tower erected cost $415.00. The purchase and erection of 74 telephone poles cost $481.00, brushing 7 miles of right-of-way, cost $75.00. This expense was divided equally between the Association and the bureau of forest protection." (Chief Forest Fire Warden Report for 1918)
April 1918: "In April 1918, a sixty-four foot steel tower was erected on Broad Mountain, Packer township, Carbon county. The tower erected cost $415.00. The purchase and erection of 74 telephone poles cost $481.00, brushing 7 miles of right-of-way, cost $75.00. This expense was divided equally between the Association and the bureau of forest protection." (Chief Forest Fire Warden Report for 1918)
January 28, 1919: "The project started by the Antracite Forest Fire Association to fight against forest fires in the hard coal region, has the hearty support of the anthracite industry. Upper Lehigh was selected for a new lookout tower to be erected by the association on a site for which the M.S. Kemmerer Company has given full rights. Telephone communication enables prompt advice and location wherever a fire starts.
The nearest tower to Upper Lehigh is located on Broad Mountain, south of Hudsondale, and enables the guard on duty to see the surrounding country for miles. It is expected that more of these watch towers will be erected by the association in various parts of the mining region, to meet the fire hazard which is always very real from a variety of causes." (Philadelphia Inquirer)
March 18, 1923: "Mr. Smith, Pottsville, assistant in the Weiser district of the forestry department, made a business visit to town and arranged for the placing of a watchman on the forest fire tower on Broad Mountain."
&
"Mr. Smith, an attache of the State Forestry department, was a visitor to town on Friday, for the second time this week. While here, he appointed Hugh Kennedy, of Mauch Chunk, to the position of watchman at the fire tower on Broad Mountain, his duties to commence on April 1." (The Morning Call)
March 20, 1923: "Hugh Kennedy has accepted the position of watchman on the fire tower on Broad mountain and will go on duty April 1." (The Morning Call)
October 12, 1934: "The fire broke out a mile above Shady Rest, which is northeast of Nesquehoning on Broad mountain. A fire watch tower is located nearby and the fire wardens from Nesquehoning and Mauch Chunk were summoned but it was several hours before the blazing timber was under control." (The Morning Call)
July 27, 1939: "It snowed, hailed and rained on top of Broad Mountain, seven miles north of here (Lehighton), yesterday afternoon. Harry Sauers, a lookout in the forest fire tower, reported today. The five-minute snowfall was washed away by the 15-minute downpour. The mountain has an elevation of 1,750 feet. (Chester Times)
July 27, 1939: "It snowed, hailed and rained on top of Broad Mountain, seven miles north of here (Lehighton), yesterday afternoon. Harry Sauers, a lookout in the forest fire tower, reported today. The five-minute snowfall was washed away by the 15-minute downpour. The mountain has an elevation of 1,750 feet. (Chester Times)
October 20, 1939: "Harry Sauers, Jr., of Rockport, has resumed work in the lookout tower located on Broad Mountain.
All fire towers throughout this section are now manned for the season or until all danger of forest fires has passed." (The Plain Speaker)
April 13, 1955: "Broad Mountain Tower, located on Broad Mountain near Weatherly, operator, Florence Miller. This tower covers Central Carbon County and overlaps with Stoney Point Tower." (Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News)