This 100-foot steel Aermotor tower is of the LS40 type. It was built by the Missouri Department of Conservation for the detection and prevention of forest fires in the Southeast Missouri region.

The tower was part of the Perryville Fire Protection District which included several other tower sites throughout SE Missouri. Tower usage was discontinued in the 1980s but Missouri Department of Conservation continued maintenance of 5-acre tower site, and established a separate communications tower at the site. In 2022-23 ownership of the tower site was deeded to Perry County for historical purposes. Tower and site planning are in development, and presently tower is in caretaker status and is prohibited from climbing until plans for restoration are complete.