APPLEGATE BUTTE
Klamath Indian Agency > Oregon Department of Forestry > Winema National Forestry
33S-8E-13
33S-8E-13
1934: " Under ECW projects three additional lookout stations are being constructed within the reservation. Applegate Butte, located in the central western portion, will consist of an eighty foot Aermotor tower, cabin, fire finder, etc,. and will cover a large part of our “unseen” area to the south, west and northeast and will probably be one of our most important stations." (FY 1934 Annual Forestry Report, Klamath Agency)
1935: Ten acres of Reservation lands set aside for the purpose of fire detection.
1935: The steel model LS-40 Aermotor tower constructed by the CCC-ID, for the Klamath Indian Agency. The 80-foot tall tower cost $2,360.88 and was assigned building number 681. Also constructed by the CCC-ID was a 12x16 cabin, to be used as living quarters for the lookout person. The cost of the cabin was $1,569.51 and 682 was the Agency building number. These structures were completed by May 31st.
1949: Norman Doty quit August 2nd because he didn’t like the kind of duty assigned to him.
1961: With the termination act, Applegate Butte lookout became the responsibility of the Oregon Department of Forestry to operate and maintain.
May 7, 1963: “Radio Shack To Be Built”
"The Winema National Forest and the Klamath Forest Protective Association are sharing in expense to construct a radio shack near the KFPA fire lookout station on Applegate Butte, according to KFPA Supervisor George Wardell.
The building, dustproof and of metal prefabricated construction, will be completed soon at a cost of nearly $1200 and will house equipment to rebroadcast radio messages transmitted to the Applegate Butte lookout from KFPA and Winema headquarters in Klamath Falls.
Last spring, KFPA changed its communications system to FM radio and discovered later that radio messages emanating from Klamath Falls were not being received at the lookout.
The additional radio equipment is being installed to amplify messages originating from KFPA headquarters. Other equipment in the shack will be used to bolster the strength of radio messages transmitted by the Winema to its lookouts in that area.
In addition to its contact with the KFPA in this city, the Applegate Butte lookout will also be linked with lookout stations in Bear Flat, Beaver Marsh, Hogback Mountain and ten mobile units, including one each with the Crown Zellerbach Company and the Weyerhauser timber Company." (Herald and News)
1967: Records show that repairs were made to one of the concrete foundation blocks of the tower and that a new deck built on the porch of the cabin, also the interior of the cabin painted.
1968: The exterior of the cabin repainted and new screens installed.
1974: The lookout information summary indicates that this lookout was under the control of the Oregon Department of Forestry
Early winter 2016: The tower was dismantled and removed. The living quarters destroyed. The site was taken over by the Oregon Department of Transportation for a communications tower.
DESIGNATION - APPLEGATE BUTTE LOT
PID - NY0959
STATE/COUNTY- OR/KLAMATH
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - APPLEGATE BUTTE (1988)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1935
THIS INTERSECTED POSITION IS CENTER OF TALL STEEL LOOKOUT TOWER
OF U.S. INDIAN SERVICE WHICH STANDS ON APPLEGATE BUTTE, ELEVATION
ABOUT 6100 FEET. BUTTE IS ABOUT 6 MILES SE OF KIRK. DRIVING
DISTANCE FROM CHILOQUIN IS ABOUT 17 MILES TO W BASE OF BUTTE, FROM
WHICH POINT CIRCULAR ROAD LEADS TO TOWER, A WELL-KNOWN
LANDMARK. POSITION MARKED ON CENTER OF U.S.F.S. DISK SET IN TOP
OF CONCRETE POST.
STATION RECOVERY (1967)
RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1967 (CAA)
STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 21 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPRAGUE RIVER, 14
1/2 MILES EAST OF FORT KLAMATH, 12-1/2 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHILOQUIN
AND IS ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF APPLEGATE BUTTE.
THE TOWER IS A 4-LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE, 90 FEET HIGH AND THE
POINT INTERSECTED WAS THE TOP-CENTER OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER.
THERE IS A U.S. FOREST DISK STAMPED APPLEGATE L O T 1935 LOCATED
IN THE CENTER OF THE BASE OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER.