WOOD BUTTE
Wallowa County - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest - 3N-43E-4
April 1927: "J.W. Wood, an old resident in the Forest, who has for several years been employed as a per diem lookout, died this winter. He used a high point near his home for a lookout point, and before he died he requested that one-half acre on this point be deeded to the Forest Service. C.J. Billings" (Six Twenty-Six)
1932: A new lookout tower was constructed. (Six Twenty-Six)
1936: Construction of this tower required 699 man hours of labor, of this 546 were needed to get out the timbers, peel them, do the framing and put in the foundation. 144 man hours were needed to assemble the pre-cut lookout cab.
1953: Woods Butte Lookout is not satisfactory, should be abandoned and a lookout located in section 30, T5N, R44E. This would provide better coverage and this lookout should be a man and wife combination and would eliminate the wardens at Troy and Flora.
1953: Woods Butte Lookout is not satisfactory, should be abandoned and a lookout located in section 30, T5N, R44E. This would provide better coverage and this lookout should be a man and wife combination and would eliminate the wardens at Troy and Flora.
July 14, 1957: "J.E. Cameron, about 60, was injured fatally Saturday when his tractor overturned on Wood Butte lookout, and a rear wheel passed over his body.
Wallowa County Sheriff R.N. O'Brien said death was instantaneous." (The Oregonian)
October 6, 1966: "Ranger Roy Sines of the Bear Sleds Ranger District reports that the Wood Butte Lookout tower, located on the Powwatka Ridge road, was broken into during the latter part of August. Donald Pridmore, from the Forest Supervisor's office in Baker, Oregon, discovered the damage while taking photographs for fire control work. The lookout is manned only after lightning storms and during periods of extreme fire weather. The tower was unoccupied at the time.
Vandals entered the lookout tower by breaking two of the windows. The Coleman lantern and most of the silverware had been dropped over the side of the lookout and were smashed on the ground. Remains of emergency rations, papers, and broken glass were scattered over the lookout floor.
Sheriff Mark Marks investigated the vandalism, however, no definite evidence was found." (Wallowa County Chieftain)
Vandals entered the lookout tower by breaking two of the windows. The Coleman lantern and most of the silverware had been dropped over the side of the lookout and were smashed on the ground. Remains of emergency rations, papers, and broken glass were scattered over the lookout floor.
Sheriff Mark Marks investigated the vandalism, however, no definite evidence was found." (Wallowa County Chieftain)
Removed
DESIGNATION - WOOD BUTTE LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - RA1137
STATE/COUNTY- OR/WALLOWA
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - WOOD BUTTE (1967)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1946 (JTJ)
LOCATED BY INTERSECTION.
STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE LOOKOUT HOUSE, A 50 FOOT WOODEN
STRUCTURE WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE HIGHEST PART OF BARE TOPPED
POINT OF THE POWWATKA RIDGE KNOWN AS WOOD BUTTE.