ROCKHILL
Pennsylvania - Fulton County - Rothrock State Forest
March 20, 1926: "In 1920, the Rockhill Coal and Iron Company of Robertsdale, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, erected a 55 foot wooden forest fire observation tower. The observatory is near Robertsdale upon the Coal Company's' lands and has an elevation above sea level of about 2300 feet. The tower built of two inch plank resting upon a firm foundation of locust posts. The ladder to the cabin at the top of the lookout is placed at one corner of the tower and is suited for visitors or ladies experienced in climbing. For telephone communication the company has installed a well known make of coal miners' telephone in the cabin at the top of the tower. This telephone is the same as those used underground where the instrument must be carefully protected from water and damp by a metal box.
The fire tower is used cooperatively by the State Department of Forests and Waters and word of forest fires has frequently been telephoned to land owners miles away informing them of a forest fire on their holdings before they had discovered it themselves. As the Broad Top Mountain lookout is built of wood and is entirely exposed to the weather it will need to be replaced in a few years. After careful study of the Broad Top Mountain forest fire detection problems, the District Forester at Mount Union has recommended to the Department of Forests and Waters that a new 60 foot steel forest fire observation tower be erected in the near future either at a location on Wrays Hill near the public road from Robertsdale to New Grenada or south of Woodvale." (Daily News)
The fire tower is used cooperatively by the State Department of Forests and Waters and word of forest fires has frequently been telephoned to land owners miles away informing them of a forest fire on their holdings before they had discovered it themselves. As the Broad Top Mountain lookout is built of wood and is entirely exposed to the weather it will need to be replaced in a few years. After careful study of the Broad Top Mountain forest fire detection problems, the District Forester at Mount Union has recommended to the Department of Forests and Waters that a new 60 foot steel forest fire observation tower be erected in the near future either at a location on Wrays Hill near the public road from Robertsdale to New Grenada or south of Woodvale." (Daily News)
April 18, 1972: "The Rockhill Tower was originally wooden and located a short distance northwest of Woodvale in Wood Township. The tower was constructed in 1927 and put into operation in the fall of that year. In 1942 the present tower was constructed on land belonging to the Rockhill Coal Company. Although the tower is footed in the Buchanan Forest District of Fulton County it is maintained by the Huntingdon District Office. The tower is approximately 60 feet high and 2,336 feet above sea level." (The Daily News)
DESIGNATION - ROCK HILL LOOKOUT TOWER 1941
PID - KX2227
STATE/COUNTY- PA/FULTON
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - SAXTON (1994)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1941 (GWL)
THE STATION IS ABOUT 3 MILES S OF THE TOWN OF ROBERTSDALE. IT IS A
FOUR-LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE ABOUT 65 FEET HIGH WITH A GLASS-ENCLOSED
CAB ON TOP, OWNED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND
WATERS. THE APEX OF THE ROOF WAS THE POINT OBSERVED UPON. A
TRAVERSE CONNECTION WAS MADE FROM STATION ROCK HILL.