Calling all Maine Map or Firetower Geeks

[peakbagger]

While looking for something else on the web this morning I ran into this stash of digital fire tower maps from 1923 covering various Maine Fire Towers. A copy would have resided under the Alidade (AKA Osborne Fire Finder)located in the center of every tower for use in sighting of fires. Search

I believe the profile image around the circumference of the topo map was hand drawn. Of interest is the flags around the periphery indicating the location of other fire towers (in 1928). My guess is they are based off the then relatively new 1921 15 minute quads, some of which were in use up into the late 1980s when I was chasing the 100 highest.

I have paper copies of the old fashioned blue prints (blue background with white lines) of Speck Mountain and Aziscoos Fire tower maps from the final remnants of the extensive Brown Company files (sadly long gone) Aziscoos Mt. 1921 and have brought them with me on hikes to the respective summits and they are remarkably accurate.

Makes me want to fire up the plotter and cover a few walls

I have not gone looking for NH versions.

 

[Andrew]

One of my favorite things to do when at the DRED (NH State Parks) HQ in Concord if I had to do some waiting, was to explore the survey and blueprint drawers containing almost 100 years of historical mapping documents. The coolest things were the fire tower summit maps that are the NH version of what peakbagger describes. They even had the original printing plates in these drawers. I do believe I was told that they had been produced with CCC assistance in the 1930's.
At one point I heard that the admin was going to digitize the images and make them available to the public, but I never heard the results. Ask for Johanna if you want to ask someone.

 

[skiguy]

One of my favorite things to do when at the DRED (NH State Parks) HQ in Concord if I had to do some waiting, was to explore the survey and blueprint drawers containing almost 100 years of historical mapping documents. The coolest things were the fire tower summit maps that are the NH version of what peakbagger describes. They even had the original printing plates in these drawers. I do believe I was told that they had been produced with CCC assistance in the 1930's.
At one point I heard that the admin was going to digitize the images and make them available to the public, but I never heard the results. Ask for Johanna if you want to ask someone.

I always think about the isolation those Fire Rangers must have experienced. The multitude of emotions felt related to the weather must have been incredible. I feel privileged to have experienced some of the towers that are now gone. My first backpack trip back in the 60's was to Oceola where the tower was still standing. The Forest Service still permitted spending the night there. My self and another fellow camper spent the night in the attic of the tower. We had to be boosted up through an opening in the ceiling by others in our group to get up there. Once in the attic the only views were back down through that opening which peered through the windows of the main floor and then over the edge of the cliff outside. Again being up there by yourself in the 1940's in the middle of a Thunderstorm must have been something. Then in contrast to a beautiful calm summer morning or evening. New Hampshire Fire Towers - Mount Osceola

 

[Andrew]

It wasn't that long ago that the Firetower Watchperson for State of NH was a pretty good job. I looked at and considered application to a position more than once, but they were not full time year-round. For many it was a good foot in the door into NH Park or Forest & Lands employment since they used to be full time temporary positions, usually 7-months with low pay, but full health care and state benefits during your employment period.
I knew a few watch wardens over the years and found a little fascination in some of the diversity due to location. At Milan Hill and Weeks they could drive right to their towers; and once a conversation with the Cardigan warden telling me how he spent his days in a more wild and isolated setting.

Every morning during the fire season I could listen on my 2-way radio scanner to all the tower wardens throughout the state call in the current summit conditions from their location. It was often colorful.

Hmmm, I kind of bled into the subject of peakbaggers other tower post.