Adirondack Fire Towers: Their History and Lore, The Southern Districts

New York State lost tens of thousands of acres of woodland to devastating forest fires in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In response, the state placed fire observers on prominent peaks. The first stations were crudely-built log platforms, but these were eventually replaced by high steel towers, and they became destinations for generations of hikers who admired the views from on high and the stories told by the colorful observers. Aerial surveillance, improved communications, and public education in fire prevention eventually made the towers obsolete, and many were removed. Today, some of the remaining towers have been or are being restored for the benefit of hikers. Marty Podskoch brings the history and the stories of the towers in the words of the observers, the rangers who supervised them and the pilots who replaced them in the southern half of New York State's Adirondack Mountains. (This is the first of two volumes.)