MARYLAND LOOKOUTS
MUIRKIRK
Prince George's County
July 20, 1925: "State forestry officials are seeking a site for the location of a fire watch tower in Prince Georges County, where numerous fires recently damaged valuable timber.
The tower will be erected near the Baltimore-Washington railroad lines and will be 60 feet high. It is planned to build the tower near Muirkirk if the desired land can be obtained." (The Evening Star)
The tower will be erected near the Baltimore-Washington railroad lines and will be 60 feet high. It is planned to build the tower near Muirkirk if the desired land can be obtained." (The Evening Star)
1926: A 60-foot steel tower was erected and ready for service. (Report of the State Department of Forestry, FY 1930)
1930: "Late in 1929 a combined workshop and garage was built at the Muirkirk Forest Fire Tower and received intensive use during 1930. The forest guard stationed at the tower spent his time, while waiting for fire calls, working in the shop. On damp or rainy days the watchman from the tower joined him in the shop. In this manner the full time of these employees was utilized, resulting in repair of damaged fire tools, preparation of sign posts and sign backs for mounting, construction of special fire tool boxes for the forest wardens, and many other worth-while details. The shop clearly demonstrated the practicability of utilizing the contributive time of fire employees during periods of low fire hazard in better preparing the forest wardens for fire fighting." (Report of the State Department of Forestry, FY 1930)