SIGNAL TREE (KENYON MOUNTAIN)
Coos County - Douglas FPA > Coos FPA - 19S-9W-33
July 23, 1924: "Mrs. Charles Crouch, lookout at Kenyon mountain in the vicinity of Camas Valley, last night reported a new fire in that vicinity." (Morning Register)
December 21, 1925: "The lookout stations maintained by Coos FPA are as follows: Signal Tree, new station near Camas Valley." (The Coos Bay Times)
September 6, 1930: "Commander Glade A. Sanford has taken a position as lookout man on the fire patrol, and is located at Signal Tree station, overlooking Camas Valley, replacing J.F. Burkhart, whose school started on September 2nd." (The Coos Bay Times)
June 2, 1931: "Carl Beeson who was to have taken charge of the Signal Tree station is reported as unable for duty on account of sickness and a substitute will be provided." (Roseburg News-Review)
March 15, 1934: "If the 100' creosoted tower for Signal Tree Mtn. is what you want, and it seems to be, its construction is approved. Request to purchase is being sent to the purchasing agent, and E will be requested to send you plans and specifications." (Letter from Assistant Regional Forester to Regional Forest Inspector)
March 15, 1934: "Please purchase material for 1 - 100 ft. creosoted lookout tower for Signal Tree Lookout, to be shipped to Gordon W. Marsh, Regional Office Inspector, Roseburg, Oregon, and charged to Central O & C. Material for stairs need not be creosoted.
Engineering is requested to furnish plans and specifications, and bill of material." (Memo for Purchasing Agent)
March 19, 1934: "We have received authorization to proceed with a 100' tower look-out Signal Tree.
Mr. Milner has started to grade a stub road to the look-out point and we will make every endeavor to expedite erection of this tower in order that it will be ready for use this fire season." (Memo to Coos County Fire Association from Regional Forest Inspector)
August 1, 1934: "Signal Tree lookout: There is a road to this point. There is a 100 foot treated tower available for this point but no 7 x 7 foot cage for the top. As I understand it from Mr. Mercer, the original plan called for the 100 foot tower and a ground house at this place. However, there is no house available. It seems to me that further investigation should be made at this point and decision made as to whether or not the house when built should not be placed on a 40 to 50 foot treated tower." (To Regional Forester from Forest Supervisor, Umpqua - CCC-)
August 16, 1934: "Ed Florence of Camp Bradford CCC camp and a crew of men are now at work on a hundred foot lookout tower at the Signal tree fire station west of the valley. A similar lookout has just been completed by Mr. Florence and his men at Big Dutchman south of Camas Valley." (Roseburg News-Review)
September 10, 1934: "At present the boys are helping to build the Signal Tree on top of Signal Tree Mountain west of Camas Valley. The trestle and tower when finished will be 101 feet high. The material is being furnished by one of the 'Readicut' firms and needs only to be bolted together and as there is a road all the way the materials are trucked in. (News-Review)
October 18, 1934: By Mrs. T.G. Lawson: The old Signal Tree is no more. It has stood, for nobody knows how long, on the southwest rim of the Coast Range mountains surrounding Camas Valley.
It was only to be expected that it should go. The old and one time useful things must give place to the new and modern, but with the loss of the old tree goes one of the favorite landmarks.
The old Signal Tree was for years a favorite place for hikers who enjoyed a real hike with lots of climbing with it and the tree and the old cabin by it have been the scene of many a picnic. In the initials carved into the tree and cabin logs can be read many stories of romance and happiness.
For many years the tree was used as a lookout for the fire patrol association. The tree itself was a large red fir. Pipes had been driven at intervals, the ends of the pipe being turned upward, to form a spiral ladder upon which observers could mount to the top of the trunk, where they had an unobstructed view for miles in every direction.
The pipes driven into the tree caught rainwater which was drained into the heart of the wood until at last the tree became dangerous and has to be removed.
Ed Florence and a crew of CCC men from Camp Bradford have completed a 100-foot lookout tower to replace the old tree and its observation platform, which have been removed.
The site, however, will lose none of its popularity for the road, built by CCC crews, now makes it possible to drive to the lookout by automobile and the road has been in constant use during the summer months, especially on Sundays, when sightseers have thronged the spot to enjoy the wonderful view from the mountain top.
The outline of this new lookout can be plainly seen from Camas Valley on a clear day." (Roseburg News-Review)
1935: A 110-foot tower with a 6 x 6 cabin completed by the Camp Bradford CCC.
August 21, 1937: "Henry Church has been appointed fire warden at the Signal Tree station. He and Mrs. Church moved up to the station the first of the week." (News-Review)
October 12, 1938: "Henry Church has been temporarily laid off from the Signal Tree lookout station. If the weather turns dry again he will be back on the hill." (Roseburg News-Review)
August 4, 1939: "Mr. Church made a trip to Portland to have an operation on an injured hand. Marie Seigal is staying at the lookout with Mrs. Church." (Roseburg News-Review)
July 8, 1940: "Claude Church has charge of the lookout on Signal tree this year. He went on duty last week." (Roseburg News-Review)
July 30, 1941: "The fire wardens have all been placed at their stations in the mountain lookouts surrounding the valley. Claude Church is at Signal Tree station again this year." (Roseburg News-Review)
March 26, 1942: "Henry and Claude Church are stationed at the Kenyon Mountain lookout by the Coos County Fire Patrol association." (Roseburg News-Review)
May 16, 1942: "Mrs. Claude Church and daughter, Barbara, were down from the Signal Tree lookout the first of the week and Mrs. Church had glasses fitted in Roseburg." (Roseburg News-Review)
Activated: March 9, 1942; Deactivated: October 16, 1943. Roseburg Filter Center.
June 19, 1942: "This post was visited on June 6, the observers were Mr. and Mrs. Claude Church.
Improvements consist of a 14x16 ground house, with shake siding. It has been sealed in but continues to be draughty. Additional sealing-in with building paper and battens should alleviate the situation. Storm windows, a good combination heating and cooking stove, and an extra 10x10 sleeping room are needed. Good wood trees are handy so the fuel wood situation is excellent.
A 101 foot tower with a 7x7 cab is used for fire detection. It is of little use for AWS work except during good weather conditions.
A garage and woodshed are needed.
The road to the post is in poor condition. Several mud holes near the top need draining. The big trouble with any maintenance is that loggers tear up the road if it is fixed half-way decently. Some cooperative project with the loggers should be worked out by the Association to keep the road passable in winter." (Inspection Report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS) Activated: March 9, 1942; Deactivated: October 16, 1943. Roseburg Filter Center.
Improvements consist of a 14x16 ground house, with shake siding. It has been sealed in but continues to be draughty. Additional sealing-in with building paper and battens should alleviate the situation. Storm windows, a good combination heating and cooking stove, and an extra 10x10 sleeping room are needed. Good wood trees are handy so the fuel wood situation is excellent.
A 101 foot tower with a 7x7 cab is used for fire detection. It is of little use for AWS work except during good weather conditions.
A garage and woodshed are needed.
The road to the post is in poor condition. Several mud holes near the top need draining. The big trouble with any maintenance is that loggers tear up the road if it is fixed half-way decently. Some cooperative project with the loggers should be worked out by the Association to keep the road passable in winter." (Inspection Report from W.N. Parke, AWS Inspector, to James Frankland, USFS) Activated: March 9, 1942; Deactivated: October 16, 1943. Roseburg Filter Center.
September 11, 1942: A report by W,N, Parke, AWS Inspector, indicated that a 10 x 12 sleeping quarters, sealed and double walled was completed.
October 16, 1943: Effective 1800 hours this AWS post was de-activated by the army
August 15, 1944: "Mrs. Joelson has gone to Signal Tree lookout for the fire season. Her daughter is at Live Oak lookout." (The News-Review)
August 7, 1947: "Women play an important role in our organization and do a great job of everything from lookout work to cooking for crews and taking care of offices. Up at Signal Tree Lookout, near Myrtle Point, attractive Mrs. William Huff, for instance, helps her husband in operating the station, which is a 100-foot tower. Mrs. Huff is raising a healthy baby son, now two months old, who was born on this 3,000-foot station and enjoys his lofty home. We find women very reliable workers." (Myrtle Point Herald)
May 31, 1951: "A second lookout was manned for the 1951 fire season Thursday, the Coos Forest Protective association announced today. Herman Shely was assigned to Signal Tree lookout at Camas Valley." (The Coos Bay Times)
October 20, 1958: "Southwest winds that reached as high as 50 miles and hour preceded the rain Saturday morning. The wind tore shutters from the patrol's Signal Tree lookout station between Remote and Camas Valley." (The World)
1959: "The Signal Tree lookout tower was demolished and replaced by a new 50 foot CT-3 treated timber tower at a cost of $5,321.22 for labor and materials." (Coos District Annual Report)
May 20, 1960: "Replacement of the Signal Tree lookout tower and a start of road work this week marked stepped fire season preparations by Coos Forest Protective Assn. crews, according to Lewis Hedgpeth, assistant district warden.
A 50-foot tower of modern design and electrically equipped is being erected at Signal Tree to replace the 110-foot tower which was built 24 years ago and is no longer considered safe, Hedgpeth stated.
With most of the old growth timber gone from the area, the 50-foot tower on the 3,266-foot mountain offers visibility over as large an area as the taller tower provided over the taller timber, he said. Located about six airline miles east of Remote, the Signal Tree lookout permits observation over a large section of southeastern Coos county and the Camas Valley section of Douglas county. Similar new towers were erected last summer on Blue Ridge and Beaver Hill." (The World)
1965: "Elk Mountain is located some 3 1/2 miles southwest of Sitkum and serves as a replacement for Brewster Rock, Signal Tree and Blue Ridge Lookouts." (Coos District Annual Report)
1966: "A 6 x 8 foot cement block building to house radio-repeater equipment was completed at the Signal Tree lookout site." (Coos District Annual Report)
May 26, 2011: The lookout tower removed.