MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN
Vermont - Essex County
September 7, 1939: "A large group from the 1152 CCC at the Brunswick camp has just completed a two mile tractor or hiker's trail up Mt. Monadnock with John B. Evans in charge. Started the first of last July the trail has been completed in 60 working days. Trees of considerable size had to be felled, all the brush taken away and there was also some blasting. Much of this was new work for Massachusetts boys. Mt. Monadnock has an altitude of 3140 feet and its summit will be topped by a closed-in steel tower 54 feet high for the forester in his watch for forest fires. The tower will rest on four cement abutments and bolted with anchor bolts about six feet into the ledge which covers the top of the mountain.
About 20 feet from the tower a large area has been set aside for a picnic ground. A never failing spring is close by and fireplaces will be built for cooking outdoor meals. The new trail is only a few miles south of Colebrook, N. H., on the Vermont side of the Connecticut river." (The Newport Daily Express)
About 20 feet from the tower a large area has been set aside for a picnic ground. A never failing spring is close by and fireplaces will be built for cooking outdoor meals. The new trail is only a few miles south of Colebrook, N. H., on the Vermont side of the Connecticut river." (The Newport Daily Express)
September 12, 1939: "One by one the mountains of Vermont are yielding to invasion. Monadnock in northeastern Vermont (to be distinguished from the mountain of the same name in New Hampshire) is the latest to surrender to man's hand to the extent of having a hiker's trail cut through to its summit, 3,140 feet above sea level. Later a steel observation tower will be erected on the summit of the mountain, so that an observer can keep watch of the forests in that region and prevent the spread of fires. That part of Vermont is perhaps the most thoroughly forested area of Vermont, the proposed lookout tower commanding views of the territory in the region of the Averill lakes and Maidstone lake where the forests are rather extensive. Thus the hiker's trail and the lookout tower will serve a very important utility work. Incidentally, those who like mountain climbing by foot throttle will find Mt. Monadnock another good opportunity to demonstrate their climbing capabilities. The Vermont Monadnock is located just off some of the important motor routes and is across the Connecticut river from Colebrook." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
1938-40: "New steel tower with glass enclosed cab was constructed by the CCC on Monadnock Mountain." (Report, Department of Conservation and Development, term ending June 30, 1940)
1940-42: "The light copper roofs furnished for the towers at Ascutney, Burke and Monadnock were so light that they blew off. They were replaced with galvanized iron." (Report, Department of Conservation and Development, term ending June 30, 1942)
1947-48: "Stairs and tower landings completely renewed and stained." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1949-50: "New map installed in tower. 750 feet metallic, slack, tree line constructed. Renewed tower stair treads and landings and painted. New tower marker installed at Route 102." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1951-52: "Tower stairs, landings and cab floor painted. One half mile slack tree line constructed. New shutters constructed for all camp windows." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1953-54: "The gradual discontinuance of secondary lookout towers and the expanding use of planes on fire detection patrol continues. During the biennium the fire lookout towers at Gile Mountain in Norwich and Monadnock Mountain in Lemington have been discontinued although they could again be put in commission if needed." "Constructed 2 1/4 miles, pole and tree line, metallic circuit. Floor in camp given coat of penetrating finish (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1957-58: "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)
1961-62: "The Monadnock Mountain fire tower and cabin, located on lands in the town of Lemington leased from the St. Regis Paper Company, have not been manned for nearly ten years. This lookout provided only secondary coverage and it was found to be cheaper to cover the area by plane patrol than to man the station. In 1961 the lease was terminated and the structures sold to the St. Regis Paper Company. They plan to maintain the cabin and tower on a standby basis to provide additional protection in times of high fire danger." (Biennial Report of the Department of Forests and Parks)
DESIGNATION - MONADNOCK USGS 1959
PID - PF1006
STATE/COUNTY- VT/ESSEX
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN (1989)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1959 (HRL)
STATION IS LOCATED UNDER THE FOREST SERVICE FIRE TOWER AT THE
SUMMIT OF MONADNOCK MOUNTAIN WHICH IS ABOUT 2-1/2 MILES
WEST OF COLEBROOK NEW HAMPSHIRE. STATION, A STANDARD DISK
SET IN A DRILLHOLE IN OUTCROPPING ROCK AND STAMPED MONADNOCK
1959 IS 5.8 FEET NORTH OF THE STEPS OF FIRE TOWER, 10-1/2
FEET NORTHEAST OF THE SOUTHWEST LEG OF FIRE TOWER AND
10.3 FEET SOUTH OF THE NORTHEAST LEG OF FIRE TOWER. THE
MARK IS SET FLUSH WITH THE ROCK.
TO REACH FROM THE JUNCTION OF U.S. HIGHWAY NO. 3 AND STATE
HIGHWAY NO. 26 IN COLEBROOK, GO WESTERLY ON STATE HIGHWAY
NO. 26 FOR 0.7 MILE TO BRIDGE OVER CONNECTICUT RIVER. CONTINUE
WESTERLY FOR 0.05 MILE TO T INTERSECTION AND RED HOUSE ON
WEST SIDE OF ROAD. TURN LEFT AND GO SOUTHERLY ON SURFACED
ROAD FOR 0.05 MILE TO FIELD ROAD RIGHT AT SOUTH SIDE OF
SECOND HOUSE FROM T INTERSECTION. (THIS HOUSE IS PAINTED
TAN WITH BROWN TRIM. TURN RIGHT AND GO WESTERLY ON FIELD
ROAD FOR 0.2 MILE TO SMALL STREAM. CROSS STREAM AND CONTINUE
ON FIELD ROAD FOR 0.3 MILE TO A SMALL CLEARING ON LEFT
(SOUTH) SIDE OF ROAD AND END OF TRUCK TRAVEL. PACK WESTERLY
ALONG TRAIL FOR ABOUT 1-1/2 HOURS TO TOP OF MONADNOCK
MOUNTAIN AND STATION UNDER FIRE TOWER AS DESCRIBED.
NOTE--THIS STATION WAS OCCUPIED BY MEANS OF A 4 FOOT STAND
IN THE CABIN OF FIRE TOWER.