MOUNT OLGA
Vermont - Windham County - Molly Stark State Forest - Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
May 12, 1934: "William Pool, Sr., has been appointed state fire warden to stay at Hogback lookout tower for the season. This tower was built last year. Many mountain peaks can be seen from there." (The Bennington Evening Banner)
June 14, 1935: "From half a lifetime spent on the New England coast as a Gloucester fisherman, lighthouse keeper and surfman to a landlubberly existence as state fire warden on Mt. Olga is the tale of William A. Pool. And to him an occasional forest fire is an anti-climax compared to a no'easter.
Pool has been at Mt. Olga ever since the lookout tower was opened in 1933. With a helper he put up the 40-foot structure and later built himself a cabin near the base. From May to November he maintains a vigil from the 2,438-foot high crest of Mt. Olga, occasionally spending the night at his Marlboro farm." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
September 17, 1937: "The state of Vermont would be asked to accept as a gift the 250-acre property which would be purchased by private subscription. Residents of Brattlesboro, Wilmington and Bennington probably would subscribe the largest part of the purchase price, it was understood today. The land, owned by Elwin Haslund of Wilmington, is commonly called Mt. Olga and includes the state-operated fire lookout tower." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
June 7, 1938: "While in Wilmington yesterday on an investigation, Sheriff O'Keefe learned from Fire Warden William Pool that three youths with guns had used the fire tower on Mt. Olga as a target about the time of the robbery." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
June 1938: "Installed two public picnic units--table and fireplace. Painted tower and camp. Installed map table and new fire finder map." (Fire Control Work, During period July 1, 1936, to June 30, 1938, "Report of the Department of Conservation and Development" State of Vermont)
1947-1948: "New porch built and cabin painted. Cabin wired for electricity. Tower roof painted. Eight new tower braces installed and stairs and landing repaired." (Vermont Forest Service Biennial Report)
June 6, 1949: "The accidental victim of a shooting, Charles Bagley, 31, of Bennington, lookout at the Mt. Olga fire tower was resting comfortably in Memorial Hospital today after removal of a .22 caliber slug from his left thigh.
State Trooper Richard C. Curtiss said the accident occurred in Bagley's cabin below the tower about 3:30 Saturday afternoon while a visitor, Joseph Squires, 13, of Bennington, was examining Bagley's revolver. The boy, unfamiliar with a revolver, looked along the edge of the cylinder and thought the gun was not loaded. He pulled the trigger and the bullet struck Bagley in the hip, ranging into the thigh but apparently missing the bone.
The boy tried to summon help by telephone but could not operate the country type set. Then he ran four miles to the Green Filling Station in Wilmington, blistering both feet. Meantime, Bagley himself was able to telephone for aid.
Dr. Albert Pearson, Clarence Jennison, four other Wilmington men and a passing Massachusetts motorist went to the fire tower. They were bringing Bagley to the highway on a canvas cot just as Troopers Curtiss and John R. Nesky arrived on a call. Bagley was brought to the hospital in the cruiser and Dr. Pearson telephoned ahead to Dr. Philip H. Wheeler." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
August 15, 1949: "The 30-foot wooden fire tower on Mt. Olga in Wilmington is being wrecked, District Supervisor Nathan Dauchy of Townshend announced Saturday. The structure, over 20 years old, had been found extensively damaged by rot. To replace it, Dauchy said the 50-foot steel tower on Bald Mountain in Townshend is being dismantled and will be set up next week on Mt. Olga." (The Newport Daily Express)
August 27, 1949: "A new steel fire tower is being erected on Mt. Olga which it expected to take about three weeks, as a concrete base will have to be put in. Charles Bagley is on duty at the Mt. Olga tower. The new tower is one which was dismantled and removed from Bald Mountain and trucked to the top of Mt. Olga. The Glastenbury and Ascutney towers are not being manned." (The Bennington Evening Banner)
August 31, 1949: "Hospital and medical expenses totaling $152.15 were awarded Charles E. Bagley of Bennington. He was accidentally shot in the left thigh by a .22 calibre revolver when a visitor to the fire tower on Mt. Olga in Wilmington picked up the gun and pulled the trigger. Bagley is employed by the state forestry service." (Rutland Daily Herald)
1949 - 1950: "Wooden tower taken down. Cabin of wooden tower rebuilt on ground for store house. Steel tower from Bald Mt. erected on new base. New spring located and dug. Cabin painted inside. Cabin porch and walk rebuilt. New cook stove installed." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1951 - 1952: "New metal eavestroughs installed." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
1953 - 1954: "A mile of new standard telephone wire was installed to replaced substandard wire. Telephone right-of-way has been sprayed with brush killer. The State Police have made their unused radio building available to the lookout for storage." (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
April 18, 1958: "Announcement has been made that the Mt. Olga fire tower located in the Molly Stark State Park in Wilmington opened Wednesday for the season. The telephone number is HO 4-3947." (The Brattleboro Reformer)
1959 - 1960: New aluminum roof was put on the cabin. (Biennial Report of the Vermont Forest Service)
April 25, 1962: "The Mount Olga fire tower on Hogback Mountain was opened Monday under the supervision of Junior Harwood of Shaftsbury, district supervisor of fire wardens. Joseph Poor of Bennington will be on duty at the tower daily for the protection of our forests and wildlife. Harwood said that this time of the year the danger of forest fires is high and that extreme care should be exercised." (Bennington Banner)
April 20, 1964: "Miss Carmen Johnson of Chester Depot is stationed at the state fire tower in Mount Olga in Wilmington. Miss Johnson arrived Monday and will be on duty as fire warden throughout the summer." (Bennington Banner)
November 5, 1965: "Philip Pratt of Pownal returned home Wednesday after serving as fire tower lookout on Mount Olga for the state Forestry Service. Pratt mounted the tower April 23, it was his first season as fire watcher.
He said he had as many as 50 people on weekend days, mostly city folks who hiked up the long route from Molly Stark State Park at the foot of Olga." (Bennington Banner)
May 2, 1966: "Robert Reed of Nanuet, N.Y., is the new lookout at Mount Olga fire tower. He started his duties last Thursday." (Bennington Banner)
July 26, 1966: "Bob Reed of Nanuet, N.Y. this year's lookout at Mt. Olga's fire tower, reports that to date about 650 visitors have climbed the mountain, including 63 from the Spofford Lake (N.H.) Evangelist Free Church Camp." (Bennington Banner)
1969 - 1970: "In 1969, a new cabin was built on Mt. Olga similar to the one built on Mt. Cushman in the spring of 1968. Electric power became available on this mountain when the New England Electric System leased a portion of the mountain top for a microwave relay station and installed about a mile of power line." (Biennial Report of the Department of Forests and Parks)
April 26, 1971: "All over the state, dedicated men and women who spent spring, summer and fall on top of a lookout tower watching over our Green Mountains, are on the job again.
Willard Brittain of St. Petersburg, Fla., informed Charles Dearcopp of Searsburg and all other area forest fire wardens, that he is back on Mt. Olga, where he has been seasonally stationed, with one exception, since 1965.
Although there is still snow on the ground in many places it won't be long before a discarded cigarette or hot match or a neglected camp fire, can set our forests afire.
So it's not too early to think about supporting the fire watchers in their towers and the wardens in the valleys by helping to avoid fires and keeping Vermont green." (Bennington Banner)
DESIGNATION - MT OLGA LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - MZ1918
STATE/COUNTY- VT/WINDHAM
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - JACKSONVILLE (1987)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1942 (GWL)
THE STATION IS THE MT. OLGA LOOKOUT TOWER, A FOUR-LEGGED WOODEN
STRUCTURE WITH A GLASS-ENCLOSED CAB ON TOP, OVERALL HEIGHT
ABOUT 60 FEET. IT IS LOCATED ON HOGBACK MOUNTAIN ABOUT 4
MILES E OF WILMINGTON.
THE TRAVERSE CONNECTION WAS MADE TO THE CENTER OF THE BASE
OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER.
TO REACH FROM THE TRAFFIC LIGHT IN WILMINGTON GO E ON U.S.
HIGHWAY 9 FOR 5.1 MILES TO THE TOP OF HOGBACK MOUNTAIN AND A
SIGN ON THE RIGHT MT. OLGA FIRE TOWER. FROM HERE A FOOT
TRAIL LEADS TO THE TOWER, ABOUT A 10-MINUTE WALK.