PENOBSCOT
Pennsylvania - Luzerne County
1923: The site was developed as a replacement for the Glen Summit station.
September 10, 1925: "A 60 ft. steel forest fire observation tower, with glass enclosed top, has been erected by the Department of Forests and Waters on Penobscot Knob, just east of Mountain Top. The new tower was erected to take the place of the limited view affected by the old Glen Summit tower at Glen Summit Springs. This tower is located on an elevation of 2100 feet and gives a wonderful view of the Wyoming Valley, as well as the north-eastern section of the Poconos. Wilkesbarre is overlooked as well as thousands of acres of forest land lying within a radius of 25 miles. The tower is plainly visible from office buildings in Wilkesbarre and can be seen from many points along the road from Hazelton to Wilkesbarre.
The view from the new Penobscot tower is excelled by few look-outs in the State of Pennsylvania. On clear days it is possible to see west along the Susquehanna River to Catawissa, south to Freeland and the Hazelton plateau, north to the North Mountains, and east to Scranton. It is estimated that fully 60,000 acres of timberland will be under observation from this look-out.
The tower is a 60 ft. steel tower with steps, making the glass enclosed cabin at the top accessible to all. The total weight was approximately 4 1/2 tons, and the 4 bases consist of approximately 1 1/2 tons of concrete poure in excavations made in solid rock. The steel cabin is erected for the towerman, who is on duty day and night during the dangerous period.
The tower can be reached by driving to Fairview, crossing the Lehigh Valley cut-off and ascending the mountain by means of an old woods road. The view from the tower is well worth while, and the public is cordially invited to visit the site." (Pittston Gazette)
October 29, 1926: "Miss Margery Weyhenmeyer, of Nuangola, a graduate of the 1922 class of Wyoming Seminary, has been appointed a fire warden in charge of the tower on Wilkes-Barre Mountain at Penobscot." (The Wilkes-Barre Record)
August 17, 1932: "The Penobscot Tower is reached by Ashley Boulevard, turning to the east just over the top of the hill, near Mountain Top. A new dirt road, built this spring by forest fire wardens, stretched for three-quarters of a mile distance from the concrete road to the tower." (Times Leader, The Evening News)
January 26, 1941: "The Mountain Top fire tower in Fairview township will receive the attention of 30 NYA youths for the next two months. The tower road, ditches, growth and brush will be tended, together with the telephone line extending to the tower from Mountain Top." (Wilkes Barre Sunday Independent)
October 11, 1941: "One of the important air defense lookouts established by the Forest Intercepting Command of Mitchell Field for this region last night was at Penobscot Fire Tower where observers were assigned to spot any plane movements in an area of 32 square miles.
Thomas L. Boylan of Ashley, a former captain in the U.S. Army, was chief observer at the station. His duty was to report to the intercepting command at Mitchell Field.
On duty with him was Harold Shafer, fire warden for the State Department of Forests and Waters, which set up the fire tower to spot woodland blazes. The tower mysteriously burned a week ago giving persons in charge of the air raid defense a lessen in possible sabotage, but the structure was replaced hastily during the week.
Boylan and others were on duty at the fire tower since Thursday as part of the widespread testing of defenses in Eastern States.
Reached by telephone at the tower last night, Boylan said he had a clear view of lights at Scranton to the North, Hazelton to the South, the Lehigh River on the East and the Back Mountain sections on the West. Wyoming Valley also was clearly visible from the tower which is located 60 feet atop steel framework on one of the highest points of Penobscot Mountain." (The Wilkes-Barre Record)
October 16, 1947: "The Mountain Top fire tower with John Hasselberger in charge reported no new fires overnight." (Times Leader, The Evening News)
April 17, 1955: "With many brush and forest fires at this time of year, residents should know the location of the fire tower and where to call.
The Penobscot Tower, located at Mountain Top, is operated by Austin Hauser. This tower covers the area south of Wilkes-Barre to Hunlock's Creek, and Bear Creek, White Haven and Nuangola areas." (Wilkes Barre Sunday Independent)
July 10, 1962: "Fire towers manned: The fire towers on Penobscot at Mountaintop, Harvey Tower, near Irem Country Club, Dallas, and Big Bear Spring Tower, near Dupont, are now being manned round-the-clock due to the dry spell. Fire towers usually are manned only in April and May and October and November." (Standard-Speaker)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1929 (CMT)
STATION IS ABOUT 4 MILES AIRLINE SE OF WILKES BARRE, ON HIGHEST PEAK
OF THE WYOMING MOUNTAIN, KNOWN AS PENOBSCOT KNOB,
AND OCCUPIED BY THE PENOBSCOT FOREST LOOKOUT TOWER. THE STATION IS 6
METERS E OF THE E LEG OF THE FIRE TOWER AND ABOUT 3 FEET LOWER.
THE STATION IS MARKED BY A STANDARD BRONZE DISK WEDGED IN A DRILL
HOLE IN FLAT ROCK OUTCROP.
REFERENCE MARK NO.1 IS IN THE CONCRETE FOOTING OF THE E LEG OF THE
PENOBSCOT LOOKOUT TOWER. REFERENCE MARK NO.2 IS A STANDARD DISK
IN A VERY LARGE, FLAT BOULDER N OF THE STATION ON SLOPE OF HILL.
STATION IS REACHED FROM WILKES BARRE BY ROUTE 309, S, ABOUT 5-3/4
MILES FROM THE SQUARE TO THE VILLAGE OF MOUNTAIN TOP. TURN LEFT OFF
ROUTE 309 AT THE SCOUTIN-LEE LUMBER COMPANY OFFICE 0.1 MILE TO A
CORNER. TURN LEFT ON MACADAM ROAD 0.1 MILE TO A LANE TURNING TO
THE RIGHT, N, IMMEDIATELY ACROSS A CONCRETE CULVERT. TURN RIGHT IN
LANE 120 METERS TO CROSSING OF LEHIGH VALLEY RAILROAD. AFTER
CROSSING TRACKS, TURN LEFT ALONG TRACKS, AND THEN UP STEEP GRADE.
THIS OLD ROAD GOES TO THE TOP OF THE RIDGE, AND BEARS RIGHT UP
RIDGE TO LOOKOUT TOWER. A GOOD PULLING TRUCK CAN BE DRIVEN TO
THE STATION.