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Click to enter. last edited 03/23/2017 @ 2310 |
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Bald (Rondaxe) Mt. Fire Tower
Location: North of State Rt. 28, 3 1/2 miles northeast of Old Forge.
This tower was closed in 1990 and was reputedly the last operating fire tower in the ADKs. It now appears on the National Historic Lookout Register and the National Register of Historic Places, being added to the latter on September 23, 2001.
The group, The Friends of Bald Mountain, was formed about 2002 and has since restored the tower to its original condition. The "Re-opening Dedication" was June 18, 2005. For detailed information about their work, visit their site by clicking here. The Friends of Bald Mountain restored the tower. They provide trail maintenance, signage, and an educational component. |
Beaver Lake Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 4 miles northeast of the Hamlet of Number Four. When this observation station was established in July 1910, no tower was immediately erected due to the lack of tree cover on the mountaintop. The first structure on Beaver Lake Mt was a wooden tower constructed by the Conservation Commission on the lands of the Fisher Forestry and Reality Co. about 1915. In 1919, a 47' Aermotor LS40 tower was purchased and erected on the site in 1920.
This structure was removed in 1977 because it was deemed excess to the fire detection needs of the Bureau of Forest Fire Control and additionally was classified as a "non-conforming structure" in the newly established Pepperbox Wilderness Area. |
Dairy Hill Fire Tower
Location: 5 miles east of the Village of Newport.
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Ft. Noble Mt. Fire Tower
Location: North of State Rt. 8 at Nobleboro on the Herkimer - Hamilton County line.
It was of a lighter weight than their 1917 design and had no stairs but only a ladder up the exterior for the purpose of ingress and egress. Wooden steps were added within the structure to ease access for both the Observer and the general public in 1918 or 1919. (Click here) for a news article describing these early design of towers. The 1950's vintage picture to the right shows a horizontal pole with wires attached. This was the antenna for the AM two-way radio system. The tower was closed in 1978. This structure was later removed because it was deemed excess to the fire detection needs of the Bureau of Forest Fire Control and additionally was classified as a "non-conforming use" in the Ft. Noble Primitive Area. Once the tower was removed, it paved the way for changing the land classification to Wilderness. |
Moose River Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 2 miles west of Thendara in the Ha-de-ron-dah Wilderness Area.
With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed at the end of the 1970 season. This structure was removed in 1977 because it was deemed excess to the fire detection needs of the Bureau of Forest Fire Control and additionally was classified as a "non-conforming use" in the newly established Ha-de-ron-dah Wilderness Area. |
Mt. Electra Fire Tower
Location: 4 miles north of the easterly end of the Stillwater Reservoir.
The structure on Mt. Electra, previously known as Rock Lake Mt, was a 60' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Webb Estate about 1920. The actual date of construction cannot be verified. This served as a "secondary tower" and it is suspected that the landowner provided an observer during periods of dry weather. Further research by Marty Podskoch revealed that the State and Webb family had an understanding where by the State would share in the cost of paying the observer but the Webb family would do the hiring. In one instance in 1942, Department records show that the observer, Francis Boone's salary was paid at least partially by the State of New York. Francis Boone was the sister of Forester Charlie Boone who would become the Supt. of the Bureau of Forest Fire Control in the early 1970's. The property and the tower became a part of the New York State Forest Preserve
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Stillwater Mt. Fire Tower
Location: West of the Stillwater Reservoir.
The tower ceased operation at the end of the 1988 season. The tower was officially closed in early 1989 when the Department of Environmental Conservation determined that towers were no longer effective and decided to phase them out of service. The tower remains on lands of the Lyme Timber Company and through an agreement with NYS DEC is open to the public except for the 2nd Tuesday in October through Decmber 20th, when it is closed for hunting season. The Friends Of Stillwater Fire Tower reorganized in 2015 and fully resotred the tower by July of 2016 when a grand reopening was held. The Observer's cabin still stands about .1 miles south and across the road from the trailhead. It is used by seasonal DEC employees. FFLA holds the VSA for this tower with the assistance of the Friends group. Volunteer stewards staff the tower on weekends. |
Woodhull Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 6 miles south of Old Forge.
The tower was closed at the end of the 1970 season when the DEC instituted aerial based wildfire detection. This tower still remains and is accessible to the public with the exception of the tower cab. |
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Bald Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 9 miles northeast of Indian River.
With the advent of aerial detection this tower was closed at the end of the 1970 season. Ownership of the structure was transferred to the landowner. Due to liability concerns, the owner, Diamond International, had the leg bolts removed and the tower pulled over. Its twisted remains were left at the site.
In 1989 the new owner of the 18,000 acre tract, Henry Lassiter, entered into an agreement with the DEC, formally known as a "conservation easement", whereby the State purchased the development and recreation rights leaving the land itself and the timber in private ownership. This allows the public use of the land while the owner continues to manage and harvest the timber. Each easement has its own stipulations. Individuals wishing to visit the site may do so, though, without the tower, there is no view. |
Gomer Hill Fire Tower
Location: 4 miles west of the Hamlet of Turin. The structure on Gomer Hill was a 67' 6" International Derrick tower erected by the CCC Camp S-122, Boonville in 1940. The tower was first staffed in 1941 reporting 2 fires and 161 visitors.
This tower ceased operation at the end of the 1988 season. It was officially closed in early 1989 when the Department of Environmental Conservation determined that towers were no longer effective and decided to phase them out of service.
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Moose River Fire Tower
Location: Adjacent to the Moose River Rd. half way between the Hamlets of Moose River and Porters Corners. The first and only structure at this site was a wooden tower erected by the Conservation Commission in 1912 adjacent to the Moose River Rd in the Town of Lyonsdale, Lewis County. When a steel tower was purchased in 1919, it was erected at a new site, eleven miles to the northeast of this location and three miles west of Thendara in the Town of Webb, Herkimer County. With the establishment of the new tower on what would be known as Moose River Mt., this site was abandon. |
New Boston Fire Tower
Location:North of State Rt. 177 at the Hamlet of New Boston. The structure on New Boston was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1950. With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed at the end of the 1970 season. The tower was dismantled and removed by DEC personnel in 1982 to the facilities in Harrisville. The tower was then loaned to the Thompson Park Zoo, in Watertown. In 2016, with the assistance of a grant from FFLA, the tower was restored and reopend to the public at the zoo.
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Number Four Fire Tower
Location: South of the Number Four Rd at Number Four.
The Conservation Department operated the tower until it's closure in early 1980's when it was dismantled and removed. The upper section of the tower has been erected at the Demonstration Forest adjacent to the Lowville DEC Office. The observer's cabin was moved to the Nick's Lake Campground in 1984 or 5. Nothing remains at the tower site except for the tower footers. |
Rock Mt. Fire Tower
Location:3 miles southeast of Crystal Lake and the Number Four Road.
Rock Mt. Fire Tower was an early venture of major landowner and conservationist Clarence Fisher. Mr. Fisher saw a need for the tower to protect both his vast land holdings and the lands of others in the area. With Beaver Lake and Stillwater towers being some distance away, he had Rock Mt. erected in 1922, in cooperation with the then Conservation Commission, by a private contractor from Lowville, according to a news article in the Lowville Journal and Republican. This would be a secondary station operated by Fisher Forestry during times on high fire danger. Six years later, Fisher purchased and erected a steel tower at Number Four which offered a far better view of the area, negating the need for the wooden tower on Rock Mt. |
Swancott Hill Fire Tower
Location: 10 miles northeast of Camden. The structure on Swancott was a 99' 9" International Derrick tower erected by CCC Camp S-113, Camden in 1940.
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Penn Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 5 miles northwest of Remsen. The structure on Penn was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1950. This tower was placed in service in 1951 reporting no fires and only 4 visitors. This tower was closed in 1971. It was reopened briefly in 1974 to provide early detection to a concentrated area that suffered heavy wind damage near Forestport. It was again closed and subsequently removed in 1976. |
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Castor Hill Fire Tower
Location: 12 miles east of Sandy Creek The structure on Castor Hill was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1927. in the 1950's a dispute arose between the owner of the land on which the tower stood and the Conservation Department. The dispute couldn't be resolved. Consequently, the tower was dismantled and reassembled across the road on the Little John Game Management Area in 1961. With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed at the end of the 1970 season and ultimately removed in 1981. |
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Arab Mt. Fire Tower
Location: South of State Rt. 3, 2 miles from the Hamlet of Piercefield.
The first structure on Arab Mt. was a wooden tower constructed by the Conservation Commission in September 1911. In 1918, the Conservation Commission replaced it with a 35' Aermotor LS40 tower. This tower ceased operation at the end of the 1988 season. The tower was officially closed in early 1989 when the Department of Environmental Conservation determined that towers were no longer effective and decided to phase them out of service. The tower now appears on the National Historic Lookout Register and the National Register of Historic Places being placed on the latter September 23, 2001. The site has been adopted and restored by the Friends of Mt. Arab. The results of their efforts can be seen by clicking here.
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Cat Mt. Fire Tower
Location: Southwest of Cranberry Lake and 5 1/2 miles from the Hamlet of Wanakena. The first structure on Cat was a 37' wooden tower constructed by the Forest, Fish and Game Commission in July 1910. In 1917, the Conservation Commission replaced it with a 47' Aermotor LS40 tower.
There were some enterprising observers that sold souvenirs to visitors to the tower.
The one pictured bellow is one of those. It reads " Cat Mt. Fire Station - Elevation 2361' - Wanakena, N. Y." Others were known to have sold postcards or even soft drinks.
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Catamount Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 9 miles southeast of South Colton and west of the Carry Falls Reservoir. The first structure on Catamount was a wooden tower constructed by the Conservation Commission in October 1911. In 1917 the Conservation Commission replaced the wooden tower with a 35' Aermotor LS40 tower. With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed at the end of the 1971 season. This structure, situated on private lands, was removed in the early 1980's. |
Moosehead Mt. Fire Tower
Location: 2 miles northeast of Sevey Corners. The first structure on Moosehead was a 20' wooden tower erected by the Forest, Fish and Game Commission in June 1910. In 1916 it was replaced with a 40' Aermotor LL25 tower. It was of a lighter weight than their 1917 design and had no stairs but only a ladder up the exterior for the purpose of ingress and egress. Wooden steps were added within the structure to ease access for both the Observer and the general public in 1918 or 1919. A self-supporting staircase was developed by Aermotor, for installation in the towers purchased in 1916. This staircase amounted to a tower within a tower and was anchored to the original tower. These were purchased to replace the wooden stairs currently in use and were installed in this tower. With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed in 1969. This tower, situated on private land, was removed in the early 1980's. |
Sand Hill Fire Tower
Location: On the east side of State Rt 420, 5 miles south of Massena. The structure on Sand Hill was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1949. The tower was staffed only sporadically during its 10 years. This tower was closed and removed about 1959. The cabin was moved to DEC's Brasher Falls Field Headquarters where it remains today and is used by Operations Unit personnel. All that remains at the tower site today are the concrete footers for the tower and cabin in amongst the pines.
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Tooley Pond Mt. Fire Tower (Cathedral Rock)
Location: 1/2 mile west of the Tooley Pond Rd, 3 1/2 miles not of Cook Corners. The first structure on Tooley Pond was a wooden tower erected by the Conservation Commission in 1913. In 1919 it was replaced with a 47' Aermotor LS40 tower.
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Whites Hill Fire Tower
Location: On the west side of the Whites Hill Rd, 3 miles south of Parishville. The structure on Whites Hill was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1950. This tower was placed in service in 1951 reporting 3 fires and 588 visitors. With the advent of aerial detection, this tower was closed at the end of the 1971 season and later removed.
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