SNAGGY MOUNTAIN
Maryland - Garrett County
1916: "A telephone line three miles in length has been constructed across the Skipnish Reserve to the lookout station at Stem Rock on Snaggy Mountain, which overlooks the State lands, and thence along Snaggy Mountain to Point Lookout, another observation station near a forest warden's headquarters. This line is connected with the farming settlements nearby, enabling the lookout watchman to summon assistance quickly in case of forest fires on the State's property or in the vicinity." (The Forests of Maryland, Vol. 3, 1916)
1918: "A twenty foot wooden tower was erected during the year 1918 on Snaggy Mountain just to the west of Herrington Manor Reserve in Garrett County. This tower overlooks all of the Garrett County Reserves, and is connected by phone with Wardens living in the vicinity and also with Oakland, by means of the new telephone line erected along the Cranesville Road from Oakland to Herrington Manor. A lookout observer is employed by the month during the spring and fall seasons, and on days when there is no fire danger he is occupied in brushing out trails and telephone lines." (State Board of Forestry Report for 1918 and 1919)
January 1, 1925: "Construction of a 60-foot steel tower with modern equipment on Snaggy Mountain, just over the West Virginia line, and which will cover 4,000 acres of forest in Maryland, will begin this week, according to Karl Pfeiffer, assistant state forester.
Cost of replacing the wooden lookout now used on the Garrett county side of the mountain will be borne by West Virginia, and Marylandwill pay for the cost of maintaining it and also man the structure with three deputy wardens. This marks another step in the co-operative program of fire prevention work by Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania." (Cumberland Evening Times)
July 9, 1925: "One of the finest observation towers in the state has been placed in operation on Snaggy mountain, near Terra Alta, and will be operated jointly by the forest protection officials of West Virginia and Maryland. Forests for 15 miles in any direction can be protected from the tower in West Virginia and for ten miles in any direction in Maryland." (Charleston Gazette)