GLASTENBURY MOUNTAIN
Vermont - Bennington County
November 18, 1926: "The Vermont Timberland Owners' association has just ordered, through its secretary, F.B. Willson, a 50-foot steel tower to be erected on Glastenbury mountain in Bennington County, with the co-operation of the state forest service. This tower will be used as a forest fire lookout station and will cover a section of Bennington county that has had little protection previous to this time. The material will be hauled up on the snow and the tower will be erected next summer." (Rutland Daily Herald)
November 20, 1926: "A fifty-foot steel tower is to be erected on Glastenbury mountain in Bennington county by the Vermont Timber Land Owners' association with the co-operation of the state forestry service. This tower will be used as a forest fire lookout station and will cover a section of the state that has previously had little protection and large losses from fire. The tower will be ready for use next summer." (Rutland Daily Herald)
December 8, 1926: "Loaded on an automobile truck, the first sections of the 47 foot steel fire observation tower to be erected on the top of Glastenbury mountain will be made by bobsled over a deserted lumber road.
It is expected that the several hundred sections of the tower will be at the top of the mountain in a fortnight. The tower, weighing 6435 pounds, will have seven landing platforms. The observation room will be eight feet square. One section of the tower will be enclosed. Sixty-five steps will lead from the base of the tower to the observation room.
The purpose of the tower is to aid in the detection of forest fires in Glastenbury and adjacent territory. The system to be followed in connection with making of observations has not yet been perfected by the timber owners. The installation of a telephone line to the observation room is under consideration." (The Bennington Evening Banner)
December 20, 1926: "Dr. L. H. Ross, president of the Bennington section of the Green Mountain club, Henry B. Walbridge, chairman of the trail committee and Dr. John G. Irons, a member of the club, hiked to the top of Glastenbury mountain Sunday.
They report that the work of clearing the deserted timber road to the top of the mountain to be nearly finished. The road will be used to draw the sections of the steel fire observation tower of the Vermont Timber Owners association to the top of the mountain.
Chauncey Plumb of Bennington has been awarded the contract to draw the tower to the proposed site. The first load will go over the trail this week, it is expected. The pieces of the tower are now at the Plunkett-Webster saw mill in Woodford." (The Bennington Evening Banner)
January 14, 1927: "New forest fire lookout tower being erected on Glastenbury Mountain." (The United Opinion)
July 4, 1927: "The Vermont Timberland Owners' association, in co-operation with the Vermont Forest Service, is now erecting a 50-foot steel lookout tower on Glastenbury mountain. Also about five miles of telephone line is under construction to this station. The forest fire watchman on Glastenbury mountain will be able to locate fires which may start in some 20 towns in southern Vermont." (Rutland Daily Herald)
July 7, 1927: "The state of Vermont is definitely equipped on a policy of fire protection, not only as far as the public domain is concerned but also for the protection of private woodlands, and it is gratifying to note that private owners are co-operating extensively, one example being the erection of a fifty-foot steel lookout tower in Glastenbury, from which the beginnings of forest fires may be observed." (Rutland Daily Herald)
1927: "The Association erected a 50-foot steel lookout tower on Glastenbury Mountain." (3rd Biennial Report of the Commissioner of Forestry)
1932: "Repairs have been made to the Glastenbury tower." (Biennial Report of the Forestry Commissioner, ending 6/30/32)
June 1938: "Improved trail. Painted tower and camp. New foundation under camp. New fire finder map in tower." (Fire Control Work, During period July 1, 1936, to June 30, 1938, "Report of the Department of Conservation and Development" State of Vermont)
April 24, 1947: AD: "Man wanted for Glastenbury fire tower. Must be reliable, active and an experienced woodsman. Inquire Vermont State Employment office, Main St. Bennington." (The Bennington Evening Banner)
1947 - 1948: "Installed radio transmitter and receiver, including wind charger. This radio operates in conjunction with the State Police system. It is on an experimental basis." (Vermont Forest Service Biennial Report)
1949 - 1950: "Tower stair treads painted. Lock installed om tower cabin. Experimental radio installation removed. Complete salvage of phone wire. Thirty telephone poles dug up and moved to Coolidge Forest." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1957 - 1958: "The lookout facilities at the secondary stations of Ascutney, Gile. Glastenbury and Monadnock Mountains were continued on an inactive basis with the areas being covered in hazardous weather by flights of the plane patrol." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
December 17, 1958: "Glastenbury Mountain consists of three peaks, with the highest reaching a height of 3764 feet, almost dead center in the town.
Near the summit is the abandoned fire tower and ranger's cabin, built in 1927. The last ranger left the mountain in 1949, and fire protection for this area is now maintained by air patrol." (Bennington Evening Banner)
June 25, 1970: "The Mt. Anthony High School Amateur Radio Club stands a good chance of walking away with first prize in an amateur radio contest after having set a transmission and receiving station on the top of Glastenbury Mountain.
The group decided that the advantageous location for contacting broadcasters would be atop the abandoned 60-foot fire tower on Glastenbury Mountain, 3,764 feet above sea level." (Bennington Banner)
July 26, 1975: "A member of the Green Mountain National Forest's Youth Conservation Corps replaces a step on the 60-foot tower atop Glastenbury Park, which the National Forest obtained from Glastenbury Timberlands Trust along with an easement for the Appalachian Trail. Refurbishing the old fire tower is just one of the projects the high school students are working on during their six-week camp session this summer." (Bennington Banner)
July 7, 1976: "The observation tower on Glastenbury Mountain's summit was reconstructed last summer with materials flown in by helicopter. Work was done by the Youth Conservation Corps under supervision by the U.S. Forest Service. The view from the top would make a romantic of almost anyone." (Bennington Banner)
DESIGNATION - GLASTENBURY LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - MZ1929
STATE/COUNTY- VT/BENNINGTON
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - WOODFORD (1954)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1942 (GWL)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ON THE SUMMIT OF GLASTENBURY MOUNTAIN,
ABOUT 9 MILES NE OF BENNINGTON. IT IS OWNED AND OPERATED
BY THE VERMONT STATE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND IS A
4-LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE WITH A GLASS ENCLOSED CAGE AT THE
TOP. THE OVERALL HEIGHT IS ABOUT 50 FEET.