TENNESSEE LOOKOUTS
CHIMNEY TOP
Greene / Hawkins County Line
Tennessee Division of Forestry
Tennessee Division of Forestry
August 29, 1948: "To residents of Sullivan, Hawkins, Washington and Greene Counties District Forester Marion F. Hafele announced Saturday that the Tennessee State Division of Forestry has recently completed construction of a new forest fire lookout tower on the west5 spur of Chimney Top Mountain.
Built for aid in providing forest fire detection service in parts of the four counties named. Chimney Top Tower is on the Greene and Hawkins County line. Washington County intersects with both counties at the east end of the high spur, about one half mile from the tower. Sullivan County lies two miles to the northeast of the tower.
From this fire tower a good view can be had of northern Greene County, eastern Hawkins County, western Sullivan County and northwestern Washington County. The fire towers are closed at present but will be opened again Oct. 15 with the beginning of the fall fire season. Lookout Tillman Hensley will be in charge of Chimney Top Tower and visitors are welcome.
Chimney Top Tower, given the numerical designation of ET-14, is unlike other towers in this section of the state. Because of its location on the high spur of the mountain it was unnecessary to erect the standard 60-foot steel tower.
Instead, a short wood tower was obtained, and since there is no truck trail leading to the tower site, a combination of transportation method was used before the tower reached its final location. After being dismantled, the tower was loaded on a truck and hauled as far up Chimney Top Mountain as the trail permitted.
Then a team and sled were used to skid the tower another mile up toward the peak, and the last three-quarters of a mile necessitated carrying or 'rawhiding' the dismantled tower to the top of the high spur. Where it now stands, the ground elevation is 3,018 feet. The tower itself extends another 16 feet above the ground." (Kingsport Times-News)
Built for aid in providing forest fire detection service in parts of the four counties named. Chimney Top Tower is on the Greene and Hawkins County line. Washington County intersects with both counties at the east end of the high spur, about one half mile from the tower. Sullivan County lies two miles to the northeast of the tower.
From this fire tower a good view can be had of northern Greene County, eastern Hawkins County, western Sullivan County and northwestern Washington County. The fire towers are closed at present but will be opened again Oct. 15 with the beginning of the fall fire season. Lookout Tillman Hensley will be in charge of Chimney Top Tower and visitors are welcome.
Chimney Top Tower, given the numerical designation of ET-14, is unlike other towers in this section of the state. Because of its location on the high spur of the mountain it was unnecessary to erect the standard 60-foot steel tower.
Instead, a short wood tower was obtained, and since there is no truck trail leading to the tower site, a combination of transportation method was used before the tower reached its final location. After being dismantled, the tower was loaded on a truck and hauled as far up Chimney Top Mountain as the trail permitted.
Then a team and sled were used to skid the tower another mile up toward the peak, and the last three-quarters of a mile necessitated carrying or 'rawhiding' the dismantled tower to the top of the high spur. Where it now stands, the ground elevation is 3,018 feet. The tower itself extends another 16 feet above the ground." (Kingsport Times-News)