History Red Hill Fire Observation Station

1 history

1.1 construction
1.2 active use
1.3 preservation , restoration

history
construction

the biggest challenge new york following establishment of forest preserve in 1885 had been fire control , prevention. illegal logging operations disposed of remaining slash setting on fire without remaining make sure burned out safely , sparks steam locomotives of region s railroads caused conflagrations.

in 1889 members of balsam lake club built catskills first fire tower on summit of balsam lake mountain; twenty years later, after fires 2 drought-plagued summers had taken heavy toll on forests, state s forest, fish , game commission (ffgc) took on part of new strategy, proven successful in maine. of putting trained observers in strategically placed towers spot first traces of fire , report location via dedicated telephone lines. state built first tower on greene county s highest peak, hunter mountain later in 1909, , within decade there several others throughout range , in nearby shawangunks.

in 1919, conservation commission, ffgc had become, found there still large area of southern catskills, in sullivan , ulster counties, poorly served existing towers. red hill chosen site new tower (supposedly after political pressure forced state reconsider sullivan county s denman mountain south), , in 1920 forest ranger brought disassembled tower summit via horse-drawn wagon. state crew cut road through dibble farm nearby red hill road, strung telephone line along it, , put tower , cabin later year.

north elevation of cabin.


active use

the cabin replaced current 1 in 1931. there no other changes site during years of use. former observers spoke fondly of job, serious risk lightning strikes on tower while in it, injured few of them. many of them kept busy during idle stretches maintaining road , telephone line, , hobbies such woodcarving. entertained hikers , other visitors came road dibble farm. necessary them live off land, harvesting wild plants, particularly leeks, , game in nearby woods, cabin had no electricity. drew water spring @ base of small cliff on mountain s west slope, 0.3 mile (0.48 km) tower via short path.

in 1971 state briefly closed tower, reopened next year due problems communications in region. dibbles sold farm in 1980s, , new owner not hospitable hikers, closing off state access per easement. shortly afterward closed, fire risk region had declined since 20th century due decline of railroads , logging , public s greater vigilance in reporting fires. renewed period of heavy fires led state reopen in 1987. time remained in use until 1990, last fire tower in catskills closed.

preservation , restoration

george profous, forester had become state s department of environmental conservation (dec) wrote in 1990s planning document aged, deteriorating tower should dismantled , removed, not due age because, out of use, no longer permitted on state-owned forest preserve land, new york s constitution requires kept forever wild. worried residents of denning , nearby hamlet of claryville contacted catskill center conservation , development, regional advocacy group, see save it, development profous had been hoping for. dec s guidelines governing use of forest preserve allow retention of otherwise incompatible structures within if enhance public s understanding of forest preserve, , many visitors , past observers wrote how seeing vastness of catskill wildlands @ once helped them appreciate importance of protecting it.

within few years, campaign had gotten 5 remaining catskill fire towers listed on forest fire lookout association s historic lookout register , later nrhp. state grants matched money raised through local efforts such bake sales, dances, fundraising drives, raffling of quilt , t-shirt sales raised enough money begin restoring tower , cabin in 1998. volunteers new york–new jersey trail conference extended path tower spring trail remain within state land down mountain s never-logged northwestern slope new trailhead, avoiding closed road. when these efforts complete, in 2000, red hill tower became first of restored catskill fire towers reopened public.