DOME ROCK
Marion County - Willamette National Forest - 9S-5E-33
March 27, 1926: "Five miles of new telephone line will be started soon from Detroit to Dome Peak where a new secondary lookout station will be installed this summer, C.C. Hall reported on returning from an inspection trip to Detroit yesterday." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
May 1, 1927: "Allocation of funds for improvement work in the Santiam national forest this season aggregating $45,990 were received this week from the district office at Portland by C.C. Hall, supervisor of the forest. The appropriations cover maintenance and construction of trails, roads, bridges, telephone lines and the construction of a standard lookout house on Dome Rock, near Detroit.
General expense funds, $2,700 to be expended in constructing two miles of telephone line in the Twin buttes area of the Cascadia section, in erecting a standard lookout house on Dome Rock, near Detroit, and more." (Morning Register)
June 1, 1928: "Among improvements for the forest this year will be a standard lookout house on Dome Rock, near Detroit. This will be the eighth standard building of this description completed within the forest. One or two more only remain to be constructed to complete this equipment." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
January 28, 1929: In 1928: "A standard lookout house was built on Dome Rock." (Morning Oregonian)
July 5, 1929: "Otis Dike has taken up his work at the look-out station, Dome Rock, near Detroit. This station can be seen from the Breitenbush bridge, a tiny white speck on a high barren rock toward the west." (Daily Capital Journal)
July 30, 1929: "Mrs. Otis Dike and three children, Allura, Kenneth and Delora, spent several days last week with Mr. Dike at Dome Rock, where he is stationed at a forest look-out station. They made the hike from Brietenbush bridge to the rock in four hours and fifteen minutes. Small Delora, age 6, made the steep climb with energy to spare. The house stands on a huge rock with a few yards of space on each side and a sheer drop of 200 feet on one side and other sides almost as precipitous." (Daily Capital Journal)
June 11, 1931: “After burning over 120 acres of heavy mature timber, the forest fire that broke out late Saturday afternoon in the Big Washout county a mile below the mouth of Tunnel creek on the Marion-Linn county line was under control by Sunday noon.
The lookout on Dome Rock discovered the fire about 4 o'clock and reported it instantly. In a few minutes 50 men were on their way to the fire and by Sunday morning the number has increased to 100.” (Mill City Logue)
June 6, 1932: "Otis Dike, who is a pioneer of the Gates and Niagara communities, is having serious trouble with his eyesight, necessitating daily treatments by a doctor. He is improving somewhat. Dike is employed in the government forestry service every summer. Two years ago he maintained the lookout at Dome Rock above Detroit." (Daily Capital Journal)
July 7, 1932: “Three more lookout stations in the Santiam national forest were manned Saturday, as the forest officials prepared to combat the increasing dryness in the forest and the mounting danger of fire. Lookouts manned Saturday were Battle Axe Mountain, Dome Rock and Crescent Mountain. Within the next week or ten days it is probable that all stations will be filled. The lookout station on Coffin Mountain was manned about ten days ago.” (Mill City Logue)
October 3, 1935: "Paul Ratzeburg of the forestry service was re-called to duty as lookout on Dome Rock the first of the week. Weather conditions have increased fire hazards." (Daily Capital Journal)
September 1, 1944: "Jim Poole, Jr., who has been serving on the Dome Rock lookout, returned home this week because of the injury of torn ligaments in his knee which he received recently." (Daily Capital Journal)
September 5, 1944: "Jimmy Poole, who has been stationed at the Dome Rock Lookout this summer is home with a knee injury." (The Oregon Statesman)
c.1965: The lookout removed.
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1947 (WRH)
LOCATED BY INTERSECTION.
THE LOOKOUT HOUSE IS LOCATED ABOUT 4 MILES AIRLINE NORTHWEST
OF DETROIT, 13 MILES EAST OF MILL CITY, ON A HIGH, DOME SHAPED
PEAK KNOWN AS DOME ROCK.
THE HOUSE IS A LOW, ONE STORY BUILDING WITH A POINTED ROOF.