MONUMENT PEAK
Linn County - Linn County Fire Patrol - 10S-4E-6
c.1914: An Alidade established.
1921: A lookout house built.
October 9, 1929: "Mike Hobson came home Friday evening from Monument Peak, where he has been employed at the lookout station the past three months." (The Lebanon Express)
July 16, 1930: "Mike Hobson has gone to Monument peak lookout station for the summer." (The Lebanon Express)
August 6, 1930: "Mrs. Hobson and children continued the journey by horseback to Monument peak to stay a week with Mr. Hobson at the lookout station." (The Lebanon Express)
September 17, 1930: "Mike Hobson returned last week from Monument peak, where he was in charge of the lookout station." (The Lebanon Express)
July 16, 1931: "Mike Hobson left Tuesday for the lookout station at Monument peak." (The Lebanon Express)
July 29, 1932: "The Linn county fire association has completed the moving of the lookout station to a more advantageous position where the visibility from Monument peak is greatly improved. The new station is located only a short distance from the position of the old one." (Daily Capital Journal)
July 27, 1933: "Mike Hobson left for Monument Peak Monday, where he will be in charge of the lookout station. He was accompanied by his nephew, Ray Hobson of Camas, Wn., who will spend a few weeks' vacation in the mountains." (The Lebanon Express)
September 5, 1934: "Mrs. Arville Downing and daughter Ruby, returned home Saturday after having spent a week with Mr. Downing on Monument Peak where he is stationed as a lookout." (Daily Capital Journal)
February 8, 1935: "Work is going on rapidly on the branch CCC camp which is being built near the T. Henness farm on King's Prairie. This is a branch of the Mill City camp near Silver Creek falls and the men will construct forest roads and fire trails in the vicinity of Monument Peak where a state lookout is stationed." (The Oregon Statesman)
1938: "Monument Peak needs a new fire finder and lookout house in the worst way." (1938 District Warden Reports, H.A. Thomas)
1940: "The Gates CCC camp has material for construction of a standard lookout house on the peak as soon as weather conditions are favorable next spring." (Linn District Annual Report)
August 1, 1942: "A.A. Ayers is helping build a lookout station at Monument peak, near Mill City." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
August 13, 1942: "Aided by favorable weather during July the Linn County Fire Patrol association has just completed a new lookout house on Monument peak.
This lookout is completely furnished with the most modern and effective fire detection equipment obtainable. This difficult piece of construction was successfully carried out under the supervision of Miles Compton, Assistant District Warden. Charles Graves, the lookout now on duty on Monument, will be the first to occupy the new structure." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
This lookout is completely furnished with the most modern and effective fire detection equipment obtainable. This difficult piece of construction was successfully carried out under the supervision of Miles Compton, Assistant District Warden. Charles Graves, the lookout now on duty on Monument, will be the first to occupy the new structure." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
September 1942: "The Linn County Fire Patrol association has just completed a new standard lookout house on the summit of Monument peak. The work was carried out under the supervision of Miles Compton, assist district warden. In order to make the new station accessible a truck trail has been opened to the summit of the mountain. The state cat, with Bill Kerlee as operator, was used on this development work." (The Forest Log)
1942: A 14 x 14 lookout house constructed atop the middle peak.
1942: "A standard lookout house was constructed on Monument Peak from materials purchased for that purpose by the CCC and turned over to the association when that organization was disbanded."
"Monument Peak LO - Sec. 16, T10S R4E - 14 x 14 standard LO house furnished by the CCC and some material by Association. Cost $424.48." (Linn District Annual Report)
Activated: August 13, 1942; Deactivated; September 22, 1943. Portland Filter Center.
September 17, 1942: "Ed Cox and Henry Thompson left yesterday for Monument Peak lookout where they will be on duty for the duration of the war. Monument Peak has an elevation of 5000 feet and is 10 miles east of Gates." (The New Era)
June 3, 1943: "When Henry Thompson and Ed Cox went up to Monument Peak, where they had spent the winter as lookouts, to move out their effects, they took Jerry Thompson and Dick Norquist along for a four day visit. The youngsters had a big time." (The New Era)
June 1943: "A few days ago Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cox, lookouts on Monument Peak, were quietly eating breakfast when Mrs. Cox looked out the window and exclaimed about a large animal sitting on the snow a short distance from the cabin. Ed took a look and there sat a gray timber wolf, calmly surveying the countryside. A well-directed shot from Ed's gun killed the animal. District Warden Wayne Downing, who reported the incident, says that a number of the animals range that section of the country and the summer crews run across them occasionally during the summer." (The Forest Log)
September 16, 1943: "Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cox left this week for Monument Peak where they will serve as observers for the winter season at the lookout there. Mr. Cox and Henry Thompson served in the same capacity last winter." (The New Era)
September 22, 1943: The Army requested the de-activation of the AWS post effective 8 p.m.
June 3, 1943: "Two lookouts of the association were kept manned all the past winter. Two of the full time crew stayed at Monument Peak and Mr. and Mrs. Leo Blodgett of Lebanon left this week to be in charge there during the summer. Mr. Blodgett to be head observer and lookout for the association, and Mrs. Blodgett to be alternate observer." (The Lebanon Express)
September 3, 1946: "The fire finder map was in need of replacement. The area north of North Santiam River was not shown on the map. The lookout should be of real value to the Clackamas-Marion District. Mr. Crawford said that he would secure a new map for the lookout. The Willamette Forest map was suggested for use until a District map could be obtained. The observer has been unable to orient his fire finder to a satisfactory degree of accuracy. This should be done when the fire finder disk is replaced. The 14 x 14 standard house is located on a concrete base. The building is in need of paint." (Survey of Linn County FPA)
June 16, 1948: "Mr. and Mrs. Simons have gone on a short trip, after which they will spend the remainder of the summer at the lookout on Monument peak. They will be home in Lebanon after the middle of September. Mr. Simons is a teacher in the junior high school at Lebanon." (The Oregon Statesman)
June 23, 1950: "Senior Lookout Albert Simons, a 17 year veteran of fire patrol work and Lebanon school teacher, will man the Monument Peak station when the trail is passable." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
November 2, 1952: "Mrs. Frank Moore and son, Frankie, have returned to Detroit ranger station after spending two months at Monument Peak fire lookout station.
On her way home Mrs. Moore lost her red Irish setter, 'Finnegan', and for several days his whereabouts was unknown. He was finally reported safe and returned by a Marion Forks party who had found him exhausted on the highway." (The Oregon Statesman)
August 23, 1954: "A letter from Mrs. Albert Simons, who with her husband is at the Monument Peak lookout station, invited visitors. She said that the huckleberry crop promises to be very good this year." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
September 16, 1955: "Mr. and Mrs. Albert Simons last week completed their 8thy year at the Monument Peak lookout station. They report deer much less plentiful than usual, but noticed that coyote serenades indicated an increase in the population of those animals, though they did not come close enough to observe." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
August 9, 1956: "Mr. and Mrs. Albert Simons were here Saturday. The couple were allowed a brief holiday from their duties at the Monument Peak lookout station in eastern Linn county because of the recent rains. The Simons have served as lookouts for a good many years." (The Lebanon Express)
June 29, 1963: "Albert Simons has worked for the Linn County Fire Patrol as a lookout for 33 years. Now retired from teaching in Lebanon, he and his wife spend much of the year traveling. Mrs. Simons has served as a lookout since 1947." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
1964: A new storage facility built.
1973: The lookout removed