NEW YORK LOOKOUTS
HURRICANE MOUNTAIN
Essex County
State Conservation Department
State Conservation Department
October 7, 1909: "At a conference today of the State fire superintendents with Commissioner Whipple of the State forest, fish and game department, it was decided to supplement the six fire observation stations established in the Adirondacks and three in the Catskills by constructing such a lookout at Hurricane Mountain, northeast of Keon village, in Essex County." (Buffalo Courier)
April 1910: A lookout was established at this point at a cost of $216.42. (Sixteenth Annual Report of the Forest, Fish and Game Commission - 1910)
1917: "Seven new cabins were built for observers on mountain stations to replace buildings which had deteriorated and were unfit for further use, one placed on Hurricane Mountain." (Seventh Annual Report of the Conservation Commission)
August 1, 1919: "The new steel towers to be erected on the tops of Whiteface and Hurricane mountains arrived in Au Sable Forks on Tuesday of this week. These towers are for the use of the fire observers located on these two peaks. The total weight of the two towers was 11,300 pounds.
The tower for Hurricane was carted to Keene by Luck's truck and from there conveyed by team to Hurricane Mountain. This work was in charge of Fire Ranger Hall." (The Adirondack Record)
August 1, 1919: "The new steel towers to be erected on the tops of Whiteface and Hurricane mountains arrived in Au Sable Forks on Tuesday of this week. These towers are for the use of the fire observers located on these two peaks. The total weight of the two towers was 11,300 pounds.
The tower for Hurricane was carted to Keene by Luck's truck and from there conveyed by team to Hurricane Mountain. This work was in charge of Fire Ranger Hall." (The Adirondack Record)
August 15, 1919: "The steel tower is being erected on Hurricane mountain this week." (The Adirondack Record)
August 29, 1919: "John Cram of Keene was badly shaken up by a bad fall among the rocks on Hurricane mountain. He was aiding in getting the steel tower material to the top when he fell. It was reported that his condition was serious but there is now no fear that he was internally injured. (The Adirondack Record)
October 24, 1919: "The tower on Mt. Hurricane in the town of Elizabethtown has at last been completed which is a great convenience to the fire observer those windy days." (The Adirondack Record)
June 25, 1920: "Mt. Hurricane, near Elizabethtown, boasts a new fire observer. The new recruit is doing night duty, while Milo Bronson still holds forth in the daytime. Early one morning recently, on reaching the foot of the tower, Mr. Bronson discovered a large hedgehog descending the stairs of the tower after his night's labors. Bronson says he's going to train a bear for day duty and when both are duly proficient he will only have to look after the observing in a sort of supervisory capacity and be able to devote most of his time to other useful occupations." (The Adirondack Record)
1921: "New cabin for the observer erected." (Annual Report of the Conservation Commission)
April 21, 1922: "John Denton moved his camping outfit up into the cabin connected with the Mt. Hurricane fire tower Monday. Mrs. Denton expects to spend a part of the summer on the mountain with her husband." (The Adirondack Recors-Elizabethtown Post)
November 22, 1923: "During the recent severe wind storm that swept over much of Essex county, the top was torn from the fire observer's tower on the summit of Hurricane mountain. The mountain was well named as it appears to stand in the very teeth of every gale that strikes the eastern Adirondacks. The wrecked tower was discovered by Adam McDougall when he went to the summit from his cabin at daybreak on a recent morning. The frame work had undoubtedly been weakened by the heavy winds which have prevailed in that section for some weeks." (Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post)
January 5, 1924: "Hurricane Mountain, one of the boldest and highest peaks in the Adirondacks, overlooking a vast stretch of country in New York State, has been ascended by two baby girls. A tiny mountaineer, only a year old, was carried to the summit in a pack-basket on the shoulders of her father, Adam McDougal, official fire observer on the mountain. Her three-year-old sister struggled along on foot for part of the climb, but was carried over the bad spots on the trail by her mother." (New Zealand Herald - Papers Past Digital Collection, National Library of New Zealand) (Also printed in the Buffalo Commercial, October 12, 1923)
June 5, 1930: "Saturday, the last day of May, Edward Ferrill, the fire observer, reported snow on the mountain, frost on the tower windows, ice two inches thick, and the cold, raw wind made it like a real winter day on Mt. Hurricane in spite of bright sunshine." (Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post)
November - -, 1930: "Fire Observer Ed Farrell has completed his duties on Mt. Hurricane and is home for the winter." (The Record-Post)
November 19, 1931: "Harry Denton, fire observer on Hurricane Mountain, got one of the luckiest breaks of the deer hunting season and was able to combine business and sport. While ascending the trail leading to the fire tower, he found himself almost face to face with a good sized buck. He killed it without stepping out of the trail." (Record-Post)
May 10, 1934: "Adam McDougal, the Hurricane Mountain fire observer, has started his season's work." (The Record-Post)
April 25, 1935: "Adam McDougal began his work as fire observer on Mt. Hurricane last Tuesday." (The Record-Post)
1979: The 35-foot steel lookout tower closed.