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Rondaxe (Bald) Mountain Fire Tower
US
112
,
New York
11
Herkimer County, New York
Elevation:
2349'
Coordinates:
N43.7383 W74.9136
Administrative Unit:
NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Cooperators:
NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation and NY Chapter of Forest Fire Lookout Association
Date Certified:
3/6/1995
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Rondaxe (Bald) Mountain Fire Tower may challenge Blue Mountain as the most-visited fire lookout in the Adirondacks. Located just above the Old Forge tourist area, a wood tower was built in 1912 and the present 35’ Aermotor LS-40 tower with 7x7’ steel cab was built in 1917 and is a very popular destination with hikers. Rondaxe has the distinction of being the last fire tower to be closed by the state in 1990. The tower was restored in 2005.
Additional information courtesy of Bill Starr, NHLR State Registrar: "This facility is not to be confused with the Bald Mtn. near Old Forge, N.Y. Established in 1911 the Bald Mtn. near Old Forge was established in 1912. Two Bald mountains could not exist as fire towers so the name Rondaxe Mtn. was given to the Bald Mtn. near Old Forge, taking the name from the adjacent Rondaxe Lake, a fact that has never rested well with the Old Forge community. Ownership of the Bald Mtn. facility was transferred to the land owner, where it stood, about 1975 since the station was closed and would not re-open. The Diamond Match Co. owner of the land did not want to encourage the public to continue to visit the tower so they had the tower removed. The tower had two of the legs cut and it was pulled over. The tower now rests where it fell nearly 30 years ago. This tower has been adopted through the “Adopt–A–Natural Resource” program, offered by the NYS-DEC, by the “Friends of Bald Mtn.” and restoration work on the tower is in progress. This tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the National Historic Lookout Register."
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1912--Wood Tower-courtesy Bill Starr
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Postcard (courtesy Paul Hartmann)
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