Bee Mountain Lookout
US 184, AR 3
Lookout Details
| Registry Numbers | US 184, AR 3 (view other lookouts in United States, Arkansas) |
| Date Registered | July 16, 1996 |
| Nominated by | Michael A. Pfeiffer, FFLA |
| Location |
Ouachita National Forest Polk County, Arkansas |
| Coordinates |
N 34° 29.410' W 094° 15.500' (view using Google Maps) N 34° 29' 25" W 094° 15' 30" N 34.490160° W 094.258328° |
| Elevation | 1,853 ft (565 m) |
| Administered by | U.S. Forest Service |
| Cooperators | Mena Ranger District |
Description
Bee Mountain Lookout is nearly identical to Tall Peak (US No. 183) and was also built by the CCC in 1938. The single-story stone base (with room) supports a live-in 12’ x 12’ wooden cab with catwalk of a style that was unique to the Southern Region of the U.S. Forest Service (although at least one similar lookout -- High Knob -- was built in Virginia in what was then the Eastern Region). Extensively vandalized, the site is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Map
Change Basemap
Photos
July 2019 photo
Visit Reports
July 7, 2019: Pablo Rubio
Condition |
|
| Needs paint? | Not Applicable |
| Shutters OK? | No |
| Condition of wood OK? | No |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | No |
| Good condition? | No |
| Comments: | First floor door missing, both windows missing, some debris inside on the floor, top structure missing, catwalk feels stable but the wooden planks that span the ceiling seem questionable. The environment surrounding the structure is completely overgrown. And the mosquitoes there are so large that their stings feel like those of bees. The stone steps that lead up the to structure are fine, but again, the overgrowth far from pleasant. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
|
| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
Access and Signs |
|
| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | No |
| Comments? | Very rough path to the structure. An experienced ATV driver can make the trip up fine, but hikers should be wary of the overgrowth and insects. Also, there are NO signs that guide the path to the structure; one must be very knowledgeable of the area in order to find it; maps to the structure do exist. |
Staffing |
|
| Staffed? |
No
No staff; this explains the squalor of the structure. We are thankful the structure is untouched by graffiti.
|
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
|
| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | Unsure |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? | Unsure |
July 1, 2007: Maria L. Schleidt
Condition |
|
| Needs paint? | No Response |
| Shutters OK? | No Response |
| Condition of wood OK? | No Response |
| Stairs OK? | No Response |
| Glass intact? | No Response |
| Good condition? | No Response |
| Comments: | Update on Bee Mountain Lookout Tower <br /> <br />Bee Mountain Lookout Tower, a fire tower located on the Mena Ranger District of the Ouachita National Forest in western Arkansas was delisted from the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 2005. Eight years after is it was nominated to the NRHP, the district planned to stabilize the structure (e.g. replacing the cedar shingles and redoing the staircase and catwalk) with the assistance of both local volunteers and Forest Service employees. Midway through the stabilization project, the decision was made to completely restore the tower and the wooden cab was dismantled. Shortly thereafter the district was hit by the 2000 Ice Storm and work was stopped. To date only the catwalk has been rebuilt. Since the fire tower no longer retains much of its essential physical features, the tower no longer meets the eligibility criteria and consequently was removed from the National Register. <br /> <br />Constructed by Company 742 of the Civilian Conservation Corps circa 1938, it is one of a pair of unique wood and stone two-story fire towers. Unlike many other wooden cab towers, Bee Mountain Lookout was designed to house the lookout in a small room with two stationary windows and a door in the base of the tower. The base of the tower is constructed of fieldstone and each of its walls has sloping corners. The wooden cab was approximately 14 feet by 14 feet with four windows on all sides except the west side which consisted of three windows and a door. A wooden stairway led to a catwalk that surrounded the cab. The pyramidal roof was roofed with cedar shingles. <br /> <br />The district plans to restore its twin, Tall Peak Lookout Tower, and place it in the rental program. Once that project is completed, Bee Mountain will hopefully be restored to its original glory and it too, will be rented to the public. <br /> <br />Maria L. Schleidt <br />USDA Forest Service <br />Ouachita National Forest <br />Mena and Oden Ranger Districts |
Electronics and Enroachments |
|
| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
Access and Signs |
|
| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | No |
Staffing |
|
| Staffed? | No |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
|
| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | No Response |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? | No Response |