KLAMATH COUNTY
PARKER MOUNTAIN
Klamath FPA > Oregon Department of Forestry, 40S-5E-07
1931: " We also built a road to Parker Mountain and in 1932 we intend to equip this with a tower and telephone connection." (The 23rd Annual KFPA Report 1931)
August 4, 1933: "Third in priority is the Parker Mountain road and lookout. A road has been built to the top of Parker Mountain and the lookout house is now under construction. This work it seems has been done by the local fire association." (Memo to Regional Forest Inspector - CCC -)
August 8, 1933: " Projects underway include a road to the Parker Mountain station from the Greensprings road for the protection of O and C lands." (Medford Mail Tribune)
1934: A round timber tower with a steep pitched roof was erected by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps.
July 21, 1934: “Relief Crews Work In Fire Ravaged Town”
The holocaust started in the Associated Box Company’s plant on the southern edge of town. It was first reported in Klamath Falls by the lookout on Parker Mountain, who reported it to the local offices of the Klamath Forest Protective Association… [From a story about the fire that gutted Dorris, California.]" (The Klamath Herald)
October 30, 1936: "John Colvard, Parker mountain lookout, was called in by the Klamath Forest Protective association Friday." (The Evening Herald)
August 22, 1937: " John Colvard, --- John’s tower is high – 50 feet above the rocky mountain top. The Parker lookout is of rather unique design. The tower is made of long poles. The lookout house, proper, has a steeply pitched roof and is surrounded by a catwalk and railing. John is a seasoned lookout. He served three years on Calimus Butte, the main lookout on the Klamath Indian Reservation. He was for a number of years with the Deschutes forest service. His winters are spent in Grants Pass." (The Klamath News)
1940: The lookout was staffed for 180 days. Communications were by radio and telephone. The reporting station was Clover Station.
June 5, 1942: "John Colvard has returned to Parker mountain lookout from his home in Grants Pass." (Herald and News)
June 8, 1943: " John Colvard, veteran of several years work with the KFPA, returned to his lookout on Parker Mountain, which he also filled last year." (Herald and News)
October 26, 1950: "Among the lookouts coming down off the mountaintops is 77-year-old John Colvard of Grants Pass, who has spent the last 17 summers on top of Parker mountain, in the Greensprings.
This may be Colvard's last year in the lookout. At the end of the last season, he was injured in an accident at his home in Grants Pass, which may call a halt to his many years of forestry and fire suppression work in Oregon forests." (Herald and News)
October 30, 1950: "John Colvard, 17-summer lookout veteran on Parker mountain, returned home from his summer work late last week. He is now living in Ashland. His former home was in Grants Pass. Colvard is 77 years old." (Herald and News)
August 1952: "John Colvard, lookout on Parker mountain for the Klamath Forest protective association for a good many years, died early in July. He was past 70 years of age at the time. In years past he had worked for both the forest service and the Indian service. Nearly 20 years ago he went to Parker mountain under Chas. E. Ogle, at that time district warden.
Colvard was a man who was something in the nature of a philosopher. His kindly advice, homely humor and his analysis of difficult and disagreeable situations made him a man who was sought after by many individuals in that section of the county. Mr. Ogle said that his station was visited by many men who sought peace of mind through his friendly advice and philosophy." (The Forest Log)
Colvard was a man who was something in the nature of a philosopher. His kindly advice, homely humor and his analysis of difficult and disagreeable situations made him a man who was sought after by many individuals in that section of the county. Mr. Ogle said that his station was visited by many men who sought peace of mind through his friendly advice and philosophy." (The Forest Log)
1954: " The plans as indicated in the budget call for replacing of the Parker Mountain lookout tower with a steel construction, as the present facilities are neither safe nor efficient, having been poorly built." (KFPA Annual Report 1954)
1956: " During the winter season, we have been working on a lookout house and tower for Parker Mountain. This is being prefabricated at Headquarters, and will be assembled this spring. It is replacing an old wooden tower partly and poorly constructed by the CCC. The tower will be steel, and 30 feet in height. The wooden house on top to be a 14x14, furnishing living quarters in the lookout." (KFPA Annual Report 1955)
1956: A new lookout was constructed. The 34’ 4” steel tower has a 14x14 hipped roof lookout cabin, sided and roofed in aluminum sheeting.
1965: On February 4th the Weyerhaeuser Company granted the KFPA a permit to construct, operate and maintain the existing installations for the purpose of fire prevention and suppression. This being one of four lookouts on Weyerhaeuser lands.
1968: The old 16x24 shake sided and roofed living quarters was burned because it was no longer useable.
1971: No fires were reported from this station. New lightning protection was installed, also a new outdoor toilet was installed.
1974: Four fires were reported from this station. A new door was hung and other minor repairs made.
1995: Arsonists burned the lookout and it was necessary to replace the structure.
1996: Site unused due to the construction of a new tower.
1997: A new lookout tower was constructed by the Steve Barrows Construction Company. An Oregon Department of Forestry design, the 40-foot tower is all steel mounted on a thick concrete slab. The cab measures 15 foot by 15 foot and is constructed of wood.
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1935 (NS)
THIS INTERSECTED POSITION IS THE CENTER OF THE 75-FOOT STEEL
LOOKOUT TOWER ON PARKER MOUNTAIN, WHICH IS SITUATED AT THE EXTREME
W EDGE OF KLAMATH COUNTY AND ABOUT 2 MILES S OF THE GREEN SPRINGS
HIGHWAY.
TO REACH FROM PINEHURST, DRIVE E ON GREEN SPRINGS HIGHWAY ABOUT
6 MILES TO PARKER SUMMIT, AT THIS POINT TURN S OVER FOREST ROAD
AND GO 3 MILES TO LOOKOUT.