UNION COUNTY
MOUNT HARRIS
Oregon Department of Forestry
1S-39E-35
1S-39E-35
April 10, 1930: "Plans for the protection of the ten and one-half million acres of forest land coming under the jurisdiction of the state forester are well under way for the season of 1930, according to an Associated Press dispatch from Salem, Ore.
As part of the program two new lookout houses are to be constructed. One will be on the summit of Mt. Harris, near La Grande." (La Grande Evening Observer)
As part of the program two new lookout houses are to be constructed. One will be on the summit of Mt. Harris, near La Grande." (La Grande Evening Observer)
April 11, 1930: "We have been informed that a Mr. Morehead has been and is in the valley at the present time, starting the preliminary work toward establishing a lookout station on the high point on Mt. Harris. This will be practically opposite the station on Mt. Emily. Further details of the matter when this was written were not yet available." (La Grande Evening Observer)
May 1, 1930: "Another lookout house is also under construction at the present time on Mt. Harris in the Union county unit. This lookout will cover territory in the eastern part of the county that has heretofore been rather inadequately served by Mt. Emily. Included in this work will be the construction of about four miles of telephone line to connect the lookout with the district warden and also the building of a road that will permit cars being driven to within a short distance of the summit." (The Forest Log)
May 15, 1930: "The new lookout station on Mt. Harris is now under construction, the road has been completed and the telephone line leading to Imbler will soon be in operation, according to L.C. Morehead, district fire warden.
The lookout is being built on the highest point on the mountain, which is 5,366 feet above sea-level, a total of 86 feet more than a mile. From this station the view to the north and east is very good, covering parts that could not be seen by any lookout in past years, Mr. Morehead says." (La Grande Evening Observer)
May 1930: "Another lookout under construction, Mt Harris in the eastern part of Union County, to help out the Mt Emily lookout." (Forest Log)
April 28, 1933: "Mr. Morehead will have to extend the telephone line into Imbler from Mt Harris lookout as the rancher line that he connected with is out of commission and it cost him about $30.00 extra last year to hold the line. he has made arrangements with the telephone company for connections at Imbler and they own the franchise down the road where they will have to set poles and they have given him permission to go ahead and set the poles and put up the line. It will take about two miles of wire and he wishes knob insulators. He will send in a requisition and this line would have to be built or Mt Harris abandoned." (P.S. King Field Report)
August 24, 1934: "Abandonment of a lookout station atop Mount Harris northeast of La Grande, Ore., appeared imminent as flames raced up the slopes through heavy timber." (Oakland Tribune)
August 24, 1934: "Fire that started in valley grass northeast of La Grande late today was tonight racing rapidly up through heavy timber on the slopes of Mount Harris, and at latest report was nearing the summit and endangering the lookout, State Forester Lynn F, Cronemiller was notified here at 8:05 P.M. By long distance telephone by one of his wardens.
All available CCC crews had been called to fight the flames and additional fire battlers were to be hired at La Grande, Cronemiller said. It appeared, he added, that the lookout stationed atop the mountain would have to abandon his post." (The Morning Oregonian)
August 1937: "Al Geiss, the eagle-eyed lookout on Mt. Harris, recently trained his fire finder upon a fair young lady from Idaho and they are soon to be married. However, the preliminaries were almost too much for Al. He reports that first he had to get the girl's consent, then the matter was taken up with her parents. Next he purchased the ring and finally he had to ask the boss for a day off in order to get married. He figures that, if things do not get any worse, August 20 is the date." (The Forest Log)
1942: For a total cost of $1344.85, a 14x14 cab upon a 30-foot tower was constructed in 35 T1S R39E.
1954: "Rock was blasted near the top in order to make the road wider and safer to get supplies to the lookout." (Annual Report to Oregon Department of Forestry)
1956: "A new radio repeater was installed on Mt Harris. The District personnel built a 10x20 building for Eastern Oregon Television Company to house their relay equipment. The company furnished the material and the District personnel did the work in turn for our share of the installation and construction cost of putting the power line up to Mt Harris." (Annual report to Oregon Department of Forestry)
1957: "A new lookout tower with cab was built on Mt. Harris to replace the old tower that was built in 1939. The new tower is located about 123 feet northeast of the old tower. It is a laminated structure painted with carbozite and was completed in October at a cost of $2000.00." (Northeast Oregon District - Oregon Department of Forestry Annual Report - 1957)
1958: "The old lookout tower has been dismantled and a building was built under the new tower to house the repeater. The material was salvaged from the old tower." (Annual Report to Oregon Department of Forestry)
1967: "An automatic fire alarm and extinguisher system was installed in the radio repeater shack. This equipment was mostly surplus and was installed by Salem and District personnel. New fuse panels were installed at Mt Harris Lookout for an electric range.." (Annual Report to Oregon Department of Forestry)