BEAVER HILL
Coos County - Coos County Fire Patrol - 27S-14W-25
November 11, 1933: "With Keith Young made a trip to the top of Beaver Hill. '35' Cat. And bulldozer attachment has constructed about 200 feet of road. There is a total of 1/4 mile cleared of stumps. A total distance to where the lookout will be built from the road is about 5900 feet. The road is very well located and the construction should be rapid." (Samuel L. Miller Field Report)
December 1933: "Another lookout tower and roadway construction has been started. This is known as the Beaver Hill Lookout, southwest of Marshfield." (The Forest Log)
July 12, 1934: "Two new men were added Tuesday to the Coos Fire Patrol force. They were Carl Sandquist, driver of the fire patrol truck, and Charles Freeland, lookout at the Beaver Hill station." (The Coos Bay Times)
1934: A 50-foot tower with an L-4 cab constructed by men from the Coquille CCC camp.
October 10, 1936: "A lookout at Beaver Hill south of Coos Bay beat back flames which threatened his tower late yesterday." (Roseburg News-Review)
July 10, 1940: "One new lookout was sent out. Robert Drake going to work at the Beaver Hill station." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 8, 1941: "The Coos Fire Patrol association began closing its lookout stations today. No. 1 on the list being the Beaver Hill station. The lookout for the summer was Jim Bedingfield of Marshfield, who returns to school Monday." (The Coos Bay Times)
Activated: March 9, 1942. Roseburg Filter Center.
May 11, 1942: "This observation post was visited on May 2nd. Has a 50-foot log tower with 14x14 Aladdin cabin. Needs a combination heating and cook stove for winter use.
The garage can be fixed up for sleeping quarters and the cab in the tower used for living quarters. Tower is pretty shaky, however, and the O.P. is subjected to heavy winds. During windstorms the tower is not suited for airplane spotting.
Observers have encountered no trouble in keeping the cabin warm but state that it leaks around the windows during driving rainstorms. Double windows will quite likely eliminate this fault." (Inspection report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS)
The garage can be fixed up for sleeping quarters and the cab in the tower used for living quarters. Tower is pretty shaky, however, and the O.P. is subjected to heavy winds. During windstorms the tower is not suited for airplane spotting.
Observers have encountered no trouble in keeping the cabin warm but state that it leaks around the windows during driving rainstorms. Double windows will quite likely eliminate this fault." (Inspection report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS)
September 11, 1942: A report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, states that a 20x12 portable building, sealed and double walled, was nearly completed.
May 1, 1944: Aircraft Warning Service Station 'Baker 4-0' utilized existing structure on Coos County land. The AWS added a portable Civilian Conservation Corps building, the only costs to the Service was for labor. At the end of service the improvements were retained by the state. (from the Report of AWS Stations)
1948: The lookout was staffed at half time, staffing cost was $252.17. (Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1948)
c.1950: The lookout reported to the Marshfield Headquarters via West Coast Telephone and by radio.
August 18, 1965: "The Beaver Hill lookout is among those shut down for still another reason.--the rerouting of Highway 101 close by the tower has so opened the area to public view that the tower was regarded as no longer needed. Reduced fire hazard in some areas also has resulted in closure of towers." (The World)
1958: "The Blue Ridge and Beaver Hill lookouts, after 23 and 24 years respectively, were condemned and demolished. Two new 50 foot CT-3 treated timber towers with 14 x 14 cabins were erected in the same locations for replacements. Cost of materials and facilities in these two towers will be approximately $6,000. All labor on these towers was performed with our regular personnel." (Coos District Annual Report)
October 12, 1962: The heavy winds during the Columbus Day storm destroyed the tower.
Removed