POINT PROMINENCE
Union County - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest - 2S-41E-21
August 11, 1916: "A fire-finder is being installed on the 50-foot tower recently completed on Point Prominence." (The Morning Oregonian)
July 5, 1924: The forest rangers, under the direction of Paul M. Ellis, are gathering here and getting out to their posts of observation. Robert Smith, of Baker, came in on Tuesday and left for his station on Point Prominence." (La Grande Observer)
August 28, 1930: "A new lookout has just been completed at Point Prominent in the Whitman Forest." (Enterprise Record Chieftain)
1930: A 30-foot round timber tower with an L-4 cab was constructed.
September 1933: "The lookout man, known as Tiny, located on Point Prominence on the Minam division, recently shot an old bear and two cubs from his lookout tower. The skin of the large bear was donated to the Triangle M Ranch as a souvenir. The Triangle M Ranch is a newly established Dude Ranch located at the forks of the Minam river where it is said that hunting and fishing is excellent. The proprietor of this Dude Ranch is a newcomer in these parts and those mischievous lookout boys have recommended to him that he purchase two Milch goats to be used as decoys for deer and elk during the hunting season. He is very favorably impressed with the idea." (The Forest Log)
1954: An 82-foot treated timber tower with an L-4 cab was erected on a site located about one-fourth of a mile east of the original tower.
September 11, 1961: "The 4-year-old son of a Forest Service officer fell 80 feet from a fire control tower to his death near here Sunday.
The accident occurred as the family was ending a holiday visit with the boys uncle, on duty as a spotter in the tower.
Dead was Wayne Allen Thomas, 4, La Grande son of Albur A. Thomas, fire control officer for the La Grande District of the U.S. Forest Service.
The accident took place at the Point Prominence tower about ten miles east of here. The family had visited in the tower and started to descend when the boy slipped and fell." (The Bend Bulletin)