Thursday, November 13, 2008

Fire Lookout Towers





The Fire Lookout Tower at Cedar Falls in the
Hocking Hills State Park is located on State
Route #374 at the entrance of Steele Road.


These towers are valued now for their history and
were once very important to forest fire management
in the Hocking State Forest and area homes and farms.

Each day during the peak fall and spring wildfire seasons
vigilant spotters climbed to the cabins of these towers to
survey the surrounding landscape for telltale signs of
wildfire smoke. If a blaze erupted, spotters would
telephone from tower to tower to triangulate
the exact location.


In time, improved telephone communication throughout
the rural areas, as well as the use of airplanes in wildfire
detection, made lookout towers obsolete.

The last Fire Spotter for this tower before its closing
was Sylvia Akers a resident of the area.





Restoration of the fire towers in Ohio is being done
in conjunction with the"National Forest Lookout
Association" and the " Ohio Division of Natural Resource's
Division of Forestry".













6 comments:

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

Beautiful and with the wildlife sound in the background it is perfect/ LOL Tyra

tina said...

A great place to view the surrounding countryside.

Amy said...

The view must be amazing, but I don't think you could pay me to go up there!

Lona said...

Tina and Amy ;They are pretty high and there are so many steps. I was up it when a kid but probably have to make many stops on the way up today. The view is terrific though.

Barbarapc said...

Lots to see, read and hear here! Thanks for sending me a message. So glad they'll be able to save some of those towers - and loved all the weather predictions based on signs in nature.

RURAL said...

I always wanted to be a fire ranger when I was a child. Disney had made some movies and I avidly watched them. Now, when I look at the tower, I just think what aching thighs I would have after climbing it.

Times change....

Jen