Mount Nimham Fire Tower
US 314, NY 21
Lookout Details
| Registry Numbers | US 314, NY 21 (view other lookouts in United States, New York) |
| Date Registered | October 21, 1999 |
| Nominated by | Melanie Pien |
| Location |
Taconic Hills Putnam County, New York |
| Coordinates |
N 41° 27.666' W 073° 43.496' (view using Google Maps) N 41° 27' 40" W 073° 43' 30" N 41.461100° W 073.724939° |
| Elevation | 1,340 ft (408 m) |
| Administered by | New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation |
| Cooperators | Town of Kent & New York Dept. of Environ. Conservation |
Description
Located in the Taconic Hills north of New York City in Putnam County, Mount Ninham Fire Tower was built by the State of New York and the CCC in 1940. The 82'6" International Derrick Model 1937 tower LS-40 with 7' x 7' metal cab is located on state forestland. Although not used for fire detection in many years, it is maintained as a radio repeater site. Vandals burned the observer's cabin in 1994. Restoration of the tower was undertaken by the Town of Kent Conservation Advisory Commission.
Map
Change Basemap
Photos
Dick Eckler photo-courtesy Bill Starr
Visit Reports
July 23, 2017: Laurie Rankin
Condition |
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| Needs paint? | Yes |
| Shutters OK? | Not Applicable |
| Condition of wood OK? | No |
| Stairs OK? | Yes |
| Glass intact? | No |
| Good condition? | Yes |
| Comments: | Fire Tower had recently been painted, but wooden landing boards do need a coat of paint. Stair treads are metal and well painted. No window glass in place. No roof in place. Some graffiti needs to be painted over. |
Electronics and Enroachments |
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| Are electronic sites enroaching on tower? | No |
Access and Signs |
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| NHLR sign posted? | No |
| Directions to tower signed? | Yes |
Staffing |
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| Staffed? | No |
Opportunities for Volunteer Support |
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| Volunteers staffing opportunities? | Yes |
| Volunteer maintenance opportunities? |
Yes
The Town of Kent owns the fire tower and volunteers help with maintenance and upkeep. The tower is fairly accessible and gets a large number of visitors. A volunteer presence would be a great opportunity to educate the hiking public on the history of fire towers, the local area and land use regulations.
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Photos |
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