WHEELER COUNTY
RANCHERIA ROCK
Oregon Department of Forestry
8S-22E-6
8S-22E-6
July 12, 1933: "Mr. Case does not expect to put the lookout at Rancheria much before the first of August unless it gets much drier than it is at the present." (P.S. King Field Report)
July 2, 1936: "The Rock spring crew was detailed to miscellaneous improvements. They built six miles of telephone line between Snowboard and Rancheria lookout stations. R.P. Parrish of Fossil being assigned as lookout-fireman on Rancheria." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
July 1936: "Rancherie lookout station is located at the west end of the timber belt in Wheeler County, on the north side of the John Day River.
The elevation of Rancherie is 4899 feet, which give a very good view of the large area of timber land. There is a lookout cabin on the peak of a rock and on clear days we have a clear vision of all the snow peaks of the Cascades and a large portion of the Blue Mountains south and east, Including Rudio and Pisgah, another high point. The lookout has been maintained by the state during the fire season for the past eight years. A.P. Parrish" (Umatilla Buckaroo)
1946: "Rancherie LO - 8S 22E Sec 6: 14 x 14 standard LO ground type. Total cost $153.00 labor." (Central Oregon District Annual Report)
July 21, 1949: "Mark Jellick came down from Rancheria lookout early Saturday morning for supplies. He returned to his post Sunday." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
1952: "Installed new stairway and painted tower cabin." (Central Oregon District Annual Report)
1957: The exterior of the lookout was repainted. (Central Oregon District Annual Report)
1958: The cabinets in the lookout varnished.
1959: The steps and catwalk repaired.
1960: This station had one fire report for the fire season.
1961: One first report turned in from this station.
1962: A complete new set of steps built and the hand railings around the catwalk repaired and painted.
1962: Two fires reported from this station.
1963: This lookout station reported three fire for the season.
1963: "The lookout was completely painted and hardboard was added from below the window sills to just below the catwalk to stop the rain from blowing through. The building was re-shingled and iron braces bolted to the walls and ceiling to keep the roof on.
Rancherie lookout should be replaced. The building has been patched and parts replaced until there is not much left to work on. It is getting to the point where it is dangerous to use. When the building was built the cement piers or anchor blocks were set down in shale rock. The rock has now sloughed off until the cement blocks are sitting on top of the ground, and the building pivots on a large rock in the center." (1963 Central Oregon District Annual Report)
1963: This lookout station reported three fire for the season.
1964: Five fires discovered from this station.
1966: "New foundation, catwalk, railings and shutters. Lookout painted." (East Central Oregon District Annual Report)
DESIGNATION - RANCHERIA LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - QD1752
STATE/COUNTY- OR/WHEELER
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - FOSSIL SOUTH (1990)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1946 (DHK)
STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE NEW U.S. FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT
HOUSE LOCATED ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF WHAT IS LOCALLY KNOWN AS
RANCHERIA MOUNTAIN. THIS IS A NEW BUILDING AND MAY NOT BE
EXACTLY IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE OLD LOOKOUT. STATION WAS
CONNECTED BY TRAVERSE TO TRIANGULATION STATION RANCHERIA 1932.