Lookout Details

Registry Numbers	US 242, NY 19 (view other lookouts in United States, New York)
Date Registered	December 15, 1997
Location	Beebe Hill State Forest Columbia County, New York
Coordinates	N 42° 20.153' W 073° 29.169' (view using Google Maps) N 42° 20' 09" W 073° 29' 10" N 42.335890° W 073.486148°
Elevation	1,726 ft (526 m)
Administered by	NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Cooperators	New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation and the Forest Fire Lookout Association

Description

Link to the website for the Beebe Hill Chapter and the fire tower restoration: beebehill.info

This is the third site that this fire tower has stood upon. In 1928 the Taconic State Park Commission erected the Aermotor LS-40 60' tower on Alander Mtn., just barely within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for the sole purpose of detecting fires on park land. In 1930 the area at Alander Mtn. burned, and the land owner asked for the tower to be removed. The tower was dismantled by Park staff and stored at the High Falls facility in the park. The Park re-erected the tower on Washburn Mtn., within the park boundaries, in 1933. Operation of the tower was turned over to Forest Fire Control about 1935 and was actively operated there until 1963. In November of 1963 the tower was dismantled by Forest Rangers and transported by helicopter to the Beebe Hill site and re-erected. The tower was actively operated at Beebe Hill until it was closed in 1987.

Photos

10/1/2009 photo by Bill Starr

Beebe Hill Fire Tower flyover 4-18-09 by Bill Starr

Bill Eckler 4/19/2004

Bill Starr 4/2002

9/16/2007 View of South Taconic Range - courtesy of Bill Starr

Eric Hepperle & Bill Star 9/17/20016

View of Catskill Mountains 9/16/2007 - courtesy of Bill Starr

Visit Reports

December 28, 2016: Jack Kelley

Condition
Needs paint?	No
Shutters OK?	No Response
Condition of wood OK?	Yes
Stairs OK?	Yes
Glass intact?	No Response
Good condition?	Yes
Comments:	Beebe Hill is in just as good condition as it was when I visited it last, in April. The floor on the cab isn't dangerous, but in a few years might need to be replaced. The watchman's cabin, however, has suffered vandalism. The outer door to cabin has been smashed in, leaving the inner door, which doesn't lock, exposed to vandals. Luckily, this seems to have been fairly recent damage, and that was the only vandalism I saw. Laurie Rankin, NY director, has notified DEC of the damage and they are going to close the cabin back up again.
Electronics and Enroachments
Are electronic sites enroaching on tower?	No
Access and Signs
NHLR sign posted?	No
Directions to tower signed?	No
Comments?	The sign that marks this section of the Beebe Hill State Forest is still missing from its post, just as it was in April.
Staffing
Staffed?	No This tower is no longer staffed.
Opportunities for Volunteer Support
Volunteers staffing opportunities?	No
Volunteer maintenance opportunities?	Unsure
Photos
Photo courtesy of Jack Kelley

April 10, 2016: Jack Kelley

Condition
Needs paint?	Yes
Shutters OK?	Yes
Condition of wood OK?	Yes
Stairs OK?	Yes
Glass intact?	No Response
Good condition?	Yes
Comments:	The tower has a generally good exterior, though the interior of the cab is covered in graffiti. The last two landings are a bit rickety, but fine nonetheless. Due to the inactive state of the tower, there is no glass in the Windows.
Electronics and Enroachments
Are electronic sites enroaching on tower?	No
Access and Signs
NHLR sign posted?	No
Directions to tower signed?	Yes
Comments?	There is a small mention of the tower on a trail map at the trailhead of Beebe Hill.
Staffing
Staffed?	No
Opportunities for Volunteer Support
Volunteers staffing opportunities?	No Response
Volunteer maintenance opportunities?	No Response