BIG ROCK (GREEN MOUNTAIN)
Linn County - Linn County Fire Patrol - 15S-3E-9
1916: An Alidade was established.
1950: "Carpenter Knight was employed during the early part of the season on drawing up plans for the construction of Big Rock LO. On the 20th of July, Knight and a crew of three men from the organization were moved to Big Rock LO site in Section 9, T15S R3E, where they constructed the lookout, completing it on August 22."
Big Rock LO - 14 x 14 USFS type on an enclosed 9 foot tower, cost $2915.00.
(Linn District Annual Report)
August 24, 1950: "A modern new lookout, which will be manned for the first time next year, was completed Tuesday by members of the Linn County Fire Patrol crew.
Called Big Rock, the structure is located 32 miles southeast of Sweet Home. It is designed to give forest fire protection to the Upper Wiley creek area and the Upper Calapooya basin--approximately 50,000 acres or two and a half townships.
It is believed that Mt. Shasta in Northern California will be visible from Big Rock on clear days.
According to District Warden Mel Crawford, Big Rock Lookout differs from other fire patrol lookouts in that it is a combination lookout-garage. Crawford says the structure is a standard 14x14 United States Forest Service lookout mounted nine feet off the ground with the under story to be utilized as a garage and tool room.
Completion of the new lookout brings the total number of Fire Patrol lookouts to nine, including Swamp and Green Mountain lookouts, which are operated jointly with Santiam Lumber Company. Other Fire Patrol lookouts are Green Peter, Scott Mountain, Snow Peak, High Deck, Yellowstone and Monument Peak.
The Big Rock building was constructed for a maximum view. Windows have been installed completely around the building, as has an outside observation catwalk.
The lookout is to have modern fire finding equipment and all necessary furniture and cooking equipment. Numerous built-ins have been installed for storing foodstuffs and personal belongings.
Big Rock is not to be manned this year, since timber in the immediate area must be felled to give maximum visibility. District Warden Crawford says the lookout will be manned beginning next fire season approximately June 15.
The new fire patrol lookout was constructed by Fire Patrol Carpenter Lloyd G. Knight, assisted by John Benson, Devoe Rickert and Robert Emmert.
Construction began in July on the structure, which was almost 100 percent pre-cut in Sweet Home. Fire Patrol crewmen hauled the completed sections to Big Rock for assembly after a local sand and gravel firm filled foundation forms with ready mixed concrete.
Access to the lookout is provided by a road that was completed last year. The Big Rock road branches off the Cascade Plywood Corporation road out of Holly on Potts Creek. (The New Era)
June 21, 1951: "The Linn county fire patrol announced today that the patrol's lookout station on Green Mountain burned to the ground at 6:30 a.s. today.
The lookout, 10 miles southeast of Foster, was manned by David Barney.
Barney told the patrol headquarters that sparks from the cabin's cookstove started the blaze. The one-room lookout quarters was leveled a few minutes after the fire started. Barney was unhurt.
The building is owned by the Santiam Lumber company, but was manned by the patrol.
Lost in the blaze was a two-way radio and a fire-finder owned by the patrol." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
1951: "The plan of constructing a lookout in Section 9, T.15 S., R.3 E., was accomplished in late August. Deep snow accumulation during the winter prevented an early start on this project, and it was impossible to begin construction until the 20th of July. A standard, USFS, 14'x14' lookout was constructed on a 9 foot wooden tower. The tower was enclosed by aluminum siding to make a garage, tool and wood storage underneath the lookout house. A road was completed to the lookout in 1949. The lookout is complete with equipment and will be manned during the 1951 fire season. The materials used in the structure were pre-cut at Sweet Home by Lloyd Knight, carpenter. This development will provide detection and an area heretofore not covered by any detection and one which is becoming increasingly hazardous due to the logging in the area. Full effectiveness of the lookout will not be obtained until trees surrounding the lookout are felled. A part of the trees obstructing the view were felled in 1950." (Linn District Annual Report)
1951: "Improvement at Big Rock was to fall trees surrounding the lookout." (Linn District Annual Report)
August 6, 1954: "Mr. and Mrs. Keith Elliott and Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Elliott with Joy and Judy spent Sunday at the Big Rock lookout station visiting Earl Morgan who is fire warden as well as lookout observer, and Mrs. Morgan." (Albany Democrat-Herald)