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Mount Beacon Fire Tower
US
655
,
New York
28
Dutchess County, New York
Elevation:
1600'
Coordinates:
N41.48155 W73.94442
Administrative Unit:
NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Cooperators:
City of Beacon; NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Date Certified:
12/16/2005
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The Mount Beacon Fire Tower was built in 1931 on the site of an earlier wooden tower. It was used by NY State Forest Rangers for 50 years before being decommissioned in 1987. The 60’ Aermotor LS-40 tower with 7’x7’ metal cab overlooks the Hudson River Valley, including the skyscrapers of New York City 55 miles to the south. Despite the fact that DEC surplused the tower more than a decade ago, there were no buyers, or takers, so the tower remains a DEC tower on City of Beacon land.
Additional information courtesy of Bill Starr, NHLR State Registrar: "This station appears in the 1922 and 1924 Annual Reports to the Legislature as South Beacon Mtn. which was first established with no tower of any kind. During this time when the Observer spotted a fire he had to walk a quarter mile down the foot trail to a tree where the telephone line ended. He then had to climb that tree to dial out on a temporary type telephone. This facility was upgraded to a steel fire tower in 1931. Awaiting restoration group formation."
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1974 (Bob Eckler photo-courtesy Bill Starr)
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1974 Cabin (Bob Eckler photo-courtesy Bill Starr)
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Aerial view summer 2008 (David Rocco photo)
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New York City skyline Oct. 2008 (David Rocco photo)
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