NEW YORK
May 19, 1922: "Robert Schwarsenbach is just completing on the highest spot of Manetto Hill a fire observation tower, to serve primarily as a watch tower for forest fires in the South Woods district. Although Mr. Schwarsenbach will be glad to have his neighbors enjoy the view from this tower, he feels that an unrestricted access in his woods would bring with it serious dangers, as was shown by a forest fire here last Sunday, which was apparently started by a lighted match or cigarette dropped by a careless visitor. He has therefore decided that to go through the woods of Manetto Hill Farm, visitors will be required to get a permit at the poultryman's cottage, which permit is to be handed over to the watchman at the tower. Members of the South Woods Nature Club will have access by showing their membership card.
These permits do not entitle one to admission to the grounds near the house and the reservoir, which are marked as 'private.' Everyone is requested to be very careful not to smoke, not to pick the wild flowers, and not to start campfires. Do not leave papers and bottles around, and you will be welcome another time.
H.E. VAN GELDER, Superintendent " (Long Islander)
May 15, 1940: "Work is under way on a new fire observation tower on McCarty Hill, between Mutton Hollow and Whig Street, overlooking wide forest tracks from Little Valley and Elliottville to Allegany State Park, south of Salamanca.
Ground was broken Monday by workers from the Hungry Hollow CCC camp for the concrete piers for the steel tower. The tower will be eighty-two and a half feet high, with a glassed-in observation cabin at its top.
Construction of the tower is expected to be complete early in the summer, when a ranger from the State Conservation Department will be assigned to the location to watch for fires in the surrounding forests. A cabin for the observer will be built by the CCC near the base of the tower.
The new tower is close to the highway constructed by the CCC from Mutton Hollow to Whig Street, north of the city." (Olean Times Herald)
Ground was broken Monday by workers from the Hungry Hollow CCC camp for the concrete piers for the steel tower. The tower will be eighty-two and a half feet high, with a glassed-in observation cabin at its top.
Construction of the tower is expected to be complete early in the summer, when a ranger from the State Conservation Department will be assigned to the location to watch for fires in the surrounding forests. A cabin for the observer will be built by the CCC near the base of the tower.
The new tower is close to the highway constructed by the CCC from Mutton Hollow to Whig Street, north of the city." (Olean Times Herald)
November 1, 1940: "During the remainder of hunting season, certain areas near Company 246, CCC Camp S-106, near Salamanca, will posted to hunters while CCC workers are working in those areas, according to the company commander.
These areas are posted:
1. Along the Rock City Truck trail near the camp.
2. Along the Mutton Hollow Truck trail from the site of the new fire tower on McCarty Hill to about one mile from Great Valley.
3. From CCC Camp to McCarty Hill along the new Irish Hill truck trail." (Olean Times Herald)
1912: The Conservation Commission established a lookout station at this point. (#2)
1919: "The location of the Moose River Mountain Station has been changed from its old location on the highway from McKeever to Port Leyden to a hill between Fulton Chain and Big Otter Lake, from which a far better view is obtainable." (9th Annual Report of the Conservation Commission)
MOUNT ELECTRA
Herkimer County
MOUNT IRVINE
Cattaraugus County
*MOUNT TUSCARORA
Cattaraugus County
NELSON MOUNTAIN
Westchester County
NEW BOSTON
Lewis County
NUMBER SEVEN HILL
Rensselaer County
1922: "During the winter of 1921-1922 a suitable observation station site to cover the bulk of the forest and woodland in Rensselaer County was selected on Number Seven Hill, just north of the village of West Stephentown. The commission brought to the attention of the board of supervisors of Rensselaer County the advantages of such a station and urged that the fourteen towns of the county contribute $100 each to defray the expense of putting in a standard tower and telephone line.
Twelve of the fourteen towns responded by voting the requested contribution. The Towns of Sand Lake and Schaghticoke have so far refused to co-operate as towns, although influential citizens of Sand Lake have agreed to raise by personal subscription the contribution due from their town.
The telephone line to Number Seven Hill has been built; a sixty-foot observation tower has been purchased and erected. In the meantime, on account of the exceptional dry weather during the fall, a temporary observatory was prepared and an observer placed on duty." (#5)
*PALMER HILL
Clinton County
October 2, 1930: "Albert Tebeau of Owl's Head, in charge of construction of watchtowers, for fire rangers under the state conservation commission, is supervising the erection of a sixty-foot cast steel tower on Palmer Hill, and will in the near future perform the same duty in connection with the erection of a twenty-five foot tower at the top of Whiteface Mountain." (Adirondack Record-Elizabethtown Post)
1930: The tower erected at Palmer Hill is to supplement the Whiteface Mountain tower. It is located in an area where early spring and late fall fires are of frequent occurrence, and because of inability to operate Whiteface Mountain tower during these periods, the fires were frequently of large area before being reported by a more remote tower. Inasmuch as this tower is to be in use during periods of the spring and fall when the Whiteface Tower is closed, one observer will be sufficient to operate the two stations." (#6)
?? ??, 1966: "William Nolan has resumed his duties as forest fire observer. Now that Bill is atop Palmer Hill every day at the Conservation Department tower, perhaps he will be seeing some of those unidentified flying objects that so many people have been reporting of late in various parts of the country." (The Adirondack Record)
September 19, 1968: "William Nolan, State Forest Ranger, who mans the Palmer Hill observation tower, has returned home from Keene Valley Hospital where he was confined for several days following an attack of pneumonia. Mr. Nolan has recovered, his many friends will be pleased to learn." (The Record-Post)
October 16, 1969: "William Henry Nolan, 65, died Saturday at the Keene Valley Hospital. He was born Aug. 30, 1904, the son of John and Margaret Dockum Nolan.
He was a forest fire observer at Palmer Hill tower for 24 years." (The Record-Post)
PENN MOUNTAIN
Oneida County
August 9, 1964: "Two rangers and about six conservation personnel stayed in the area overnight, to continue efforts to stop the fire. Rain between 2 and 3 a.m. Saturday helped bring the fire under control.
Origin of the blaze was as yet undetermined. It was discovered by Robert Morrison, an observer at the Penn Mountain fire tower." (The Post-Standard)
PINE CREEK
Cattaraugus County
PRATTSBURG MOUNTAIN
Stueben County
RED HOUSE
Cattaraugus County
ROCK MOUNTAIN
Lewis County
ROOSA GAP
Sullivan County
SALAMANCA
Cattaraugus County
October 21, 1938: "While forest fires threaten throughout the woods of the state, workmen from the water and light department daily are utilizing a 40-foot fire tower just completed this week to guard a thousand acres of woodlands owned by the city from fire damage.
Perched high on a ridge north of the city, the new steel tower overlooks the entire watershed of the city reservoir system. Planting on the watershed was completed this year, rounding out a 26-year program of land acquisition and reforestation. Now the city owns the complete watershed, a tract of 1,026 acres, all of which is planted with trees.
Determined to prevent devastation of this forest by fire, the department this year erected the fire tower and installed a telephone line from the tower to the city telephone system, with three stations set up in the watershed for reporting fires.
The precautions to guard the area against forest fires have been taken, Mr. Weagraff explained, because the city now possesses in this wooded area a source of potential income as well as a source of potential income as well as protection for its supply of drinking water." (Salamanca Republican-Press)
SALMON LAKE MOUNTAIN
Hamilton County
SCIENCE HILL
Cattaraugus County
October 1959: In a cost cutting effort the State abandoned the lookout services. A transfer of title was made to Suffolk County, so that future protection could be handled by the county.
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1926: The Allegany State Park Commission erected a 60-foot Aermotor tower as a part of their fire protection system.
August 31, 1933: "Mr. Ritt announces that the Conservation Corps men will install a new telephone line from the fire tower at Summit Camp to the tie-in at Red House. It is planned to build the line far enough from the road so that it will not be visible to tourists passing through the park." (Salamanca Republican-Press)
September 23, 1933: "Considerable progress is reported on the projects which members of Camp 33 of the Civilian Conservation Corps, near Point Summit in Allegany State Park, have been carrying on in the park.
A new coat of paint has been given the fire tower at the summit. The tower was painted an aluminum color, which is said to blend artistically into the background of clouds. (Salamanca Republican-Press)
April 7, 1942: "Harry Gray of Broad street, fire observer in Allegany state park, today took up his six-month vigil in the summit tower between Salamanca and Big Red House. He will live in a nearby cabin, according to Oscar Lindberg, chief park ranger.
Mr. Gray is responsible both to the park commission and the state conservation department, Mr. Lindberg said.
Up to now there have been only two days dry enough to cause anxiety this year lest forest fires break out, Mr. Lindberg said. There have been a few small brush fires in the park, but nothing that might be called a forest fire so far, the ranger said." (Salamanca Republican-Press)
1912: The Conservation Commission established a lookout station at this point. (#2)
1913: This station not staffed this season. (#3)
Other Web Pages of Interest
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FOOTNOTES:
#1 - Sixteenth Annual Report of the Forest, Fish and Game Commission - 1910
#1 - Sixteenth Annual Report of the Forest, Fish and Game Commission - 1910
#2 - Second Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1912
#3 - Third Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1913
#4 - Fourth Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1914
#5 - Twelfth Annual Report of the Conservation Commission - 1922
#6 - Twentieth Annual Report of the Conservation Department - 1930
#7 - Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Conservation Department - 1932
#8 - Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of the Conservation Department - 1939