DOUGLAS COUNTY
DEANS MOUNTAIN
Coos FPA
22S-11W-35
22S-11W-35
March 12, 1915: "The lines in the forest along the coast, will be built connecting Waldport in Lincoln county, Florence in Lane county, and Gardner in Douglas county, and connecting the lookouts on Table mountain, Clickitat mountain, Saddle mountain, Sunset mountain and Deans mountain. Sixty miles of this system have already been completed. The work outlined along the coast will be finished before July 1." (The Eugene Guard)
June 12, 1915: "A crew of the forest service have begun building a trail from the Charles Walker place on the upper Scofield, to Deans Mountain, which will ultimately be built to Loon Lake. Mr. Chandler has charge of the work, and ma crew of four men besides himself are now at work on the trail and expect to finish the same to Deans Mountain by the first of July, and then they may continue on towards the Loon Lake country, during the summer." (Port Umpqua Courier)
June 12, 1915: "A crew of the forest service have begun building a trail from the Charles Walker place on the upper Scofield, to Deans Mountain, which will ultimately be built to Loon Lake. Mr. Chandler has charge of the work, and ma crew of four men besides himself are now at work on the trail and expect to finish the same to Deans Mountain by the first of July, and then they may continue on towards the Loon Lake country, during the summer." (Port Umpqua Courier)
June 12, 1915: "Under the supervisorship of Horace U. Cochran, assistant forest ranger, he, he and J. A. Baker are putting in a telephone line connecting Charles Walker's place with the summit of Deans mountain where an outlook station will be established, and a guard placed there about the first of August to watch and report forest fires that may spring up in the surrounding country, which can be seen from that point." (Roseburg Review)
June 12, 1915: "The supplies for the new telephone line, which will be built from the Walker place on the Scofield, to Deans Mountain, are expected in from Seattle on the 'Patsy'." (Port Umpqua Courier)
June 12, 1915: "The supplies for the new telephone line, which will be built from the Walker place on the Scofield, to Deans Mountain, are expected in from Seattle on the 'Patsy'." (Port Umpqua Courier)
August 7, 1915: "The supervisor also reports that a telephone line is being constructed from Walker's ranch, on Scofield river, to Dean's mountain lookout station, a distance of seven miles, which is about completed. This will give the rangers and patrolman in that section a much better service than ever before." (Morning Register)
April 27, 1916: "The Forest Service has received 17 miles of telephone wire at Reedsport, which will be put up from Dean's mountain around the ridge to Elks Peak. Mr. Weaver, the ranger who is located here, informs us that he intends to put up guide boards along the trails in that district, so that tourist parties may be directed to different points, also as to where they may find water and good camping grounds." (Roseburg Review)
July 7, 1917: "D. O. Weaver, local forest ranger, has finished building three miles of telephone line up Mill Creek to Deans mountain for the Government. A line has been built from Charles Walker's place on the Schofield to Deans mountain.
Mr. Weaver now has a force of men engaged in clearing trails from the Walker place to Loon Lake. A new trail will be built from that point to what is known as Gould's ranch. These trails and telephone lines will put the rangers, citizens and firewardens in close touch and communication, besides opening up one of the finest sections of the country for sportsmen who take pleasure in hunting large game." (Roseburg Review)
1917: A crude shake cabin built.
August 4, 1918: "R.S. Shelley, supervisor of the Siuslaw national forest, has announced the employment of the first woman lookout in that forest. Miss Jennie Walker, a school teacher, has been assigned to a post on dean's Mountain, south of the Umpqua. Miss Walker is experienced in outdoor life and has taught school in that region. She will attend school at Monmouth during the coming Winter." (The Oregonian)
August 14, 1918: "Mrs. Jennie Walker, a Linn county school teacher, has been appointed a look-out in the Siuslaw National Forest, and is giving good service. She has been assigned to a post on Deane mountain south of the Umpqua. She has taught school in that vicinity and is familiar with the country. Six women look-outs are employed in the Cascade Range." (The Lebanon Express)
September 22, 1918: "R. S. Shelley, supervisor of the Siuslaw forest, with headquarters at Eugene, has a woman employed as lookout on Deans mountain." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
July 8, 1921: "Six fire finding instruments for as many lookout stations were sent out by the Siuslaw national forest today. The instruments consist of a large map of the lookout district on which is mounted a circle graduated in degrees, and a sighting apparatus. Angle readings are taken by the lookouts and telephoned to headquarters where the fire is located by the intersection method. One of these instruments went out to Dean's mountain." (The Eugene Daily Guard)
April 16, 1925: “Among the points at which lookouts will be placed this year are Dean's mountain and Elk's peak.” (The Siuslaw News)
April 16, 1925: “Among the points at which lookouts will be placed this year are Dean's mountain and Elk's peak.” (The Siuslaw News)
September 12, 1925: "Paul Dalke, who has been stationed at Dean's mountain, reached Eugene last evening, having gone off duty." (The Eugene Guard)
August 17, 1929: "Ronald Wyatt of North Bend returned on the early morning train from Dean Mountain where he has been at a lookout station this summer." (The Coos Bay Times)
November 1, 1930: "Later in the spring a modern lookout station will be constructed on the summit of Deans mountain. The present cabin is in such a bad state of repairs that it is inadvisable to put any additional money into it." (The Forest Log)
April 8, 1931: "Oscar Lumberg and V.V. Young of the Coos County Forest Fire Patrol association, left Marshfield today with the new new forest lookout to be built on Dean's Mountain in Elliott State Forest.
The material, several thousand pounds in weight, will be trucked to the Walker ranch on Scofield creek near Reedsport, John Walsh, district warden, said, and then taken by pack horses ten miles over a steep mountain trail to the summit of the peak.
It will be the finest and most modern lookout in Southwestern Oregon when completed, it is declared. Fifteen double sash windows will go into the ground floor walls, and eight in the upper floor walls." (The Coos Bay Times)
May 20, 1931: "A new lookout cabin on the summit of Deans mountain in the Elliott state forest was completed this week by Chub Young and Oscar Lumberg, forest service man. The cabin is located approximately 35 miles north of Allegany and 17 miles southeast of Reedsport. This is the most up-to-date and best outfitted cabin in the reserve, according to J.A. Walsh.
A total of 11,000 pounds of material for the cabin was hauled to the western edge of the forest and then transported over ten miles of trail on horseback. This took four horses 14 days.
The two men built the cabin in one month. It is 16 feet square at the base and is constructed with a six-foot square glassed-in cupola in which the fire finding instruments are kept. The cabin flies an American flag on a pole 12 feet above the top of the cupola. Walsh stated that he now has nine look-out cabins under his supervision." (The Coos Bay Times)
June 1931: "Word has been received from District Warden J.A. Walsh, of Coos County, that the material for the new lookout cabin on the summit of Deans Mountain in the Elliott State Forest has been hauled to the western edge of the forest and is now being transported over ten miles of trail on horse back. The total weight of the material is approximately 11,000 pounds and it will take several weeks to pack it all in to the summit of the mountain. When completed the station will be one of the finest in that section of the country." (Six Twenty-Six)
July 1,1931: "A full day was spent on Dean's mountain where a new lookout house has just been completed. The new house is a modern glass enclosed building 16 by 16 feet in size with a 6 by 6 foot cupola. It is fully equipped with fire-finder, bed, stove, chairs, built-in cupboards and sink, and a set of white enameled kitchen equipment. A novel feature is the installation of four steel cots with mattresses in the attic, which, with the bed below, gives modern sleeping accommodations for six persons.
The station is located near the center of the forest enabling prompt lookout service to be given the entire forest and surrounding country." (Forest Log)
August 27, 1931: "Mrs. Harold Savage will leave Friday for the country beyond Reedsport, where her brother, James Huston, is stationed as a fire warden on Deans mountain. She will spend several days there." (The Coos Bay Times)
July 10, 1937: "Second lookout station of the Coos Fire Patrol to be manned this year is the station at Dean's Mountain to which Ken Noble of Lakeside has been assigned. Noble will report at Dean's Mountain for duty on Monday." (The Coos Bay Times)
July 1, 1939: "The state forester's office has assigned W. Stewart to the Dean's mountain lookout in Elliott state forest. This lookout works with the Coos association lookouts but is directly under the control of the state forester's office." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 21, 1939: "Newest friend of Pilot Leo Arany of Oregon Airways--and one whom he has not yet met--is Gordon Olcott, who is in charge of Dean's mountain lookout for the state forest service.
The airways plane on its daily Portland-Coos Bay run passes directly over the lookout station and each time the plane goes over Olcott waves, He wrote Arany a letter last week, and in answer Arany him a package of Coos Bay Times papers and a few magazines. A letter today thanked him for the 'special delivery' service.
Dean's mountain is 12 miles from the coast, southeast of Reedsport. Olcott gives an interesting description of the lookout location and of his radio equipment. He has two two-way radio sets, one for communication with Coos Fire Patrol headquarters and one for the state forest hookup." (The Coos Bay Times)
Activated: March 9, 1942. Eugene Filter Center.
June 19, 1942: "Visited this post on June 8, observers on duty are Mr. and Mrs. George Miller.
Improvements consist of a 16x16 cupola cabin, built in 1930. A new three room guard cabin is nearing completion. In addition there is a 20x20 combination garage. The new dwelling will be used for living quarters while the cupola will serve for fire detection and airplane spotting.
The only winterization needed is the winter's wood supply which is to be cut by an emergency fire crew." (Inspection Report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS)
Improvements consist of a 16x16 cupola cabin, built in 1930. A new three room guard cabin is nearing completion. In addition there is a 20x20 combination garage. The new dwelling will be used for living quarters while the cupola will serve for fire detection and airplane spotting.
The only winterization needed is the winter's wood supply which is to be cut by an emergency fire crew." (Inspection Report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS)
1946: A 20-foot tower was constructed at Deans Mountain to replace the old lookout. Total cost $477.40, labors - $370.00, materials - $107.40. (Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1946)
February 4, 1947: In 1946, a 20-foot tower was constructed at Dean's mountain. (The Coos Bay Times)
1952: "An 8 x 8 lookout cabin was constructed on the Deans Mtn lookout tower." (Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1952)
July 18, 1955: "Miss Marvel Christensen arrived home Sunday night from Crater Lake where she had been working at the lodge for a month. Tuesday she is going to Dean's mountain forest lookout station where she will be stationed for the balance of the fire season. In September she will return to Oregon State College." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 22, 1955: "Marvel Christensen returned to Oregon State College Tuesday where she is a senior. She worked this summer as a lookout on Dean's Mt., for the Coos Forest Protective Association." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 14, 1956: "Mrs. Wilma Briggs and daughter, Florine, have returned to their home in Coos Bay, after spending the summer as fire watchers for the Coos Forest Patrol at Dean's Mountain Lookout near Reedsport." (The Coos Bay Times)
July 11, 1959: "Carolyn Curtis, is a lookout this summer for the Forest Service at Dean Mountain, serving her second season at the job." (The World)
September 1966: "With apprehension of six teenage boys, a severe case of vandalism at Deans Mountain Lookout within the Coos Forest Protective Association, was cleared up recently.
Damage to the station was extensive. It had been shot up and besmeared with paint. Ernie Labart, forest warden 2, at Reedsport first got a lead on the boys and then, through the investigation of Norris Joyce, chief investigator for the department who was ably assisted by Labart, the boys were brought to justice. Several days were consumed in the process.
A confession was obtained from one, who in turn, implicated the others.
They were bound over to justice court." (The Forest Log)
Removed
2008: The Coos FPA erected an 80-foot steel tower for the base of a smoke detection camera system
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1936
THIS OCCUPIED STATION IS CENTER OF LOOKOUT HOUSE ON HIGHEST POINT
OF DEAN MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 9 MILES, AIR LINE, SE OF REEDSPORT. TO
REACH FROM REEDSPORT, DRIVE E ON UMPQUA HIGHWAY 1.7 MILES, TURN
RIGHT. OR S, GO 6 MILES, TAKE RIGHT FORK UPHILL, CONTINUE ON
MAIN-TRAVELED ROAD 8.6 MILES, TURN LEFT AT POWDER HOUSE, GO 0.3
MILE, TURN SHARP LEFT UPHILL 0.2 MILE TO LOOKOUT.