PENNSYLVANIA LOOKOUTS G
OLD TOWN
Clearfield County
November 21, 1928: "Many of the forest fire observation towers maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters for the location of forest fires are used as landmarks by aviators in their long-distance flights.
Secretary Charles E. Dorworth, of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, said today that arrangements have been completed by which a large beacon light will be placed on the Old Town forest observation tower located one mile east of Clearfield. This tower is near the emergency landing field of the United States mail service, and the power for the light will be transmitted through conduits which will be erected along one of the standards of the tower, and will be so concealed that there will be no danger of contact with the line.
The site of the Old Town tower comprises about ten acres and is located in the Moshannon State Forester District, District Forester Dague contemplates developing the tower site as a recreational area by the planting of ornamental trees, erection of park shelters, construction of fire places, and by laying out recreational areas which may be used for baseball and tennis." (Chester Times)
Secretary Charles E. Dorworth, of the Pennsylvania Department of Forests and Waters, said today that arrangements have been completed by which a large beacon light will be placed on the Old Town forest observation tower located one mile east of Clearfield. This tower is near the emergency landing field of the United States mail service, and the power for the light will be transmitted through conduits which will be erected along one of the standards of the tower, and will be so concealed that there will be no danger of contact with the line.
The site of the Old Town tower comprises about ten acres and is located in the Moshannon State Forester District, District Forester Dague contemplates developing the tower site as a recreational area by the planting of ornamental trees, erection of park shelters, construction of fire places, and by laying out recreational areas which may be used for baseball and tennis." (Chester Times)
August 29, 1929: "The first steel tower in the state to be equipped with an A-1 Way Beacon is the old town tower at Hillsdale east of Clearfield. The tower, 80 feet in height, is erected on a knob and stands more than 100 feet above the flying field. The revolving beacon is of 2,000,000 candle power." (The Daily Republican)
May 29, 1953: "The Department of Forests and Waters also announced it has built a new fire place at Old Town Tower Park on the hill east of Clearfield and is obtaining a new pump for the well there." (The Progress)
June 9, 1976: "Another Clearfield landmark came tumbling down yesterday -- the Old Town Fire Tower at Hillsdale.
For nearly 50 years the 80-foot high steel; tower perched on a grassy knoll 1,500 feet above sea level, had served its purpose.
Yesterday, with the strain of the years showing on its weathered and worn framework, the anchor bolts were unfastened and the tower was pulled to a thundering end.
In its hey day, a fire watcher could observe as many as 200,000 acres of forestland in a breathtaking miles long view of the surrounding countryside.
Like all fire towers, it was manned only in the spring and fall of the year when the danger of forest fires is at the greatest.
The tower was located on 9.84 acre tract of the old Jordan farm a mile east of Clearfield and just south of what used to be an emergency landing field for the U.S. Mail Service.
Built in October, 1928, the tower was centrally located with respect to four other towers -- Smith, Knobs, Grassflat and Faunce -- and acted as a check on the other towers.
The land immediately surrounding the tower was soon developed into a park type center with picnic tables and a camping area. With the passing of time, that, too, went by the wayside.
William F. Dague was the district forester at the time the tower was built and placed into service.
The total cost of the tower was $1,538.56.
Its replacement, completed at Rockton and manned for the first time this year during the the spring fire season, cost more than $35,000." (The Progress)
Removed
DESIGNATION - OLD TOWN FOREST LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - MA2222
STATE/COUNTY- PA/CLEARFIELD
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - CLEARFIELD (1981)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1959 (CGS)
STATION IS LOCATED ON A HIGH HILL AND ON STATE PROPERTY, ABOUT 1-1/4
MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER SECTION OF CLEARFIELD, 75
FEET SOUTH OF A MACADAM ROAD, 31 FEET SOUTH OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER SIGN
AND AT THE NORTH EDGE OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER PARKING AREA.
IT IS A 4-STEEL CHANNEL LEGGED STRUCTURE WITH A METAL OBSERVERS
CAB MOUNTED AT THE TOP. THE CAB IS ORANGE IN COLOR
AND THE LEGS ARE GRAY IN COLOR. TWO LARGE LIGHTS AND TWO ANTENNAS
ARE MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE CAB. THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF THE STRUCTURE
IS APPROXIMATELY 130 FEET.