PENNSYLVANIA LOOKOUTS
KOOSER MOUNTAIN
Somerset County
Laurel Hill State Park
Laurel Hill State Park
1934: Tower erected.
March 22, 1935: "The new Kooser fire tower will be manned for the first time within the next week when towermen are put on duty for the spring forest fire hazard season. V.M. Bearer, district forester of Ligonier, said today.
The Kooser tower was erected by ECW labor and is located one mile south of the Bakersville-Mt. Pleasant pike, where it crosses the Westmoreland-Somerset county line.
The tower is on an elevation of 2,920 feet and is 80 feet high. The addition of the new tower makes a total of 11 in the Forbes Forest district." (The Ligonier Echo)
April 29, 1935: "E.T. Beck, towerman in Somerset county, today issued an appeal for the cooperation of everyone in reducing the toll of forest fires.
Mr. Beck is towerman on the Kooser tower in Somerset county, just off Route 31 to the right, about a mile and a half after turning at the top of Laurel Hill mountains between Jones Mill and Bakersville." (The Daily Courier)
March 13, 1936: "Twelve men are to be employed on a WPA saw-mill project at the Summit of Laurel Hill three miles south of the Lincoln Highway. They will fell and saw lumber to be used in construction of state bridges, administration buildings, and cabins in the Kooser and Lynn Run division.
Some of the lumber will be used for erection of towermen's cabins at towers which have been recently built or re-located.
A cabin is contemplated for the Kooser Tower at the summit of Laurel Hill. This cabin will enable towerman to be at the tower day and night during the fire season." (The Ligonier Echo)
May 18, 1936: "An appeal to hunters, fishermen, tourists, nature lovers, property owners and citizens to do their bit toward preventing forest fires was voiced today by E.T. Beck, towerman at Kooser Tower near Champion, in a communication to the Courier." (The Daily Courier)
April 15, 1941: "A church and two dwellings were destroyed yesterday afternoon when a raging fire became out of control near Normalville, Fayette County.
The fire was discovered shortly before noon by the observer in the Kooser Tower, near Bakersville, Somerset Township. Upon spotting the blaze he immediately dispatched two crews of 20 men each to the scene. However, the fire burning in dense underbrush spread to nearby fields and to the buildings before firefighters could dig ditches or setback fires." (The Indiana Gazette)
April 2, 1945: "Posting of towermen in the Forbes Forest District has been completed, it was announced today by V.M. Bearer of Ligonier, district manager of the Pennsylvania Forest & Water Department, as preparations were being made to cope with annual spring forest fires.
Towerman at Kooser Tower, Martin Krepps." (The Daily Courier)