MORROW COUNTY
ARBUCKLE MOUNTAIN
Umatilla National Forest
4S-29E-30
4S-29E-30
August 2, 1914: "'Fire finders' are to be established on Arbuckle Mountain and on little Baldy. With these in operation the forest service men will be able accurately to locate any fire which may be started anywhere in the forest." (The Morning Oregonian)
July 19, 1921: "Gilbert Ritchie went on duty at Arbuckle mountain last Monday as lookout man and smoke chaser. When his fire duties permit he will work at maintenance of improvements." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
August 11, 1921: "Monday night an electrical storm of great severity passed over the John Day country and the eastern part of the Gurdane district. The forest service telephone system of this district was seriously impaired. The out-door telephone at Arbuckle mountain was put entirely out of commission. But by Wednesday night Guard Casteel and Ranger Woods had the phones back in good working order." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
September 22, 1921: "Gilbert Ritchey who has been lookout man and smokechaser at Arbuckle mountain left for his home in Portland last week. In spite of, or because of, the strenuous fire season, he said that he had enjoyed the work and regretted his departure." (The Gazette-Times)
June 28, 1922: "A new road has been constructed to the top of Arbuckle Mountain. The construction of the lookout station has been temporarily delayed by the press of other work. It is planned to cut the top from a tree about sixty feet from the ground and construct a crow's nest of wood and steel. The lookout from the crow's nest will be able to overlook approximately three hundred thousand acres of forest land." (East Oregonian)
June 29, 1922: "Will Troxel and Homer Landers who are camped at Arbuckle mountain while clearing roads, were recently the hosts to a nocturnal visit from a beast of the forest, a lighted match revealed a porcupine. Equipped with a light and armed with a long handled shovel, a pajama charge was made on the guests. The porcupine's head was broken; likewise the shovel handle.
A new road has been constructed to the lookout tree on top of Arbuckle mountain. The construction of the lookout station has been temporarily delayed by the press of other work. It is planned to cut the top from a tree about sixty feet from the ground and construct a crow's nest of wood and steel. The lookout from the crow's nest will be able to overlook approximately three hundred thousand acres of forest land." (The Gazette-Times)
A new road has been constructed to the lookout tree on top of Arbuckle mountain. The construction of the lookout station has been temporarily delayed by the press of other work. It is planned to cut the top from a tree about sixty feet from the ground and construct a crow's nest of wood and steel. The lookout from the crow's nest will be able to overlook approximately three hundred thousand acres of forest land." (The Gazette-Times)
July 1922: "Homer Landers of Pilot Rock who will act as lookout at Arbuckle Mountain during the fire season is assisting in road and trail maintenance." (Six Twenty-Six)
July 4, 1922: "A new road has been constructed to the lookout tree on the top of Arbuckle mountain. The construction of the lookout station has been temporarily delayed by the press of other work. It is planned to cut the top from a tree about sixty feet from the ground and construct a crow's nest of wood and steel. The lookout from the crow's nest will be able to overlook approximately 300,000 acres of forest land." (Heppner Herald)
August 15, 1922: "A new lookout station has been erected upon the top of Arbuckle mountain. The station consists of a platform seven and a half feet square enclosed by a railing placed on top of a large fir tree. The platform is ninety feet from the ground and is supported in the tree by a steel crow's nest frame. A new fire finder has been placed. Homer Landers is the lookout man at Arbuckle and is much pleased with his new quarters--except when a strong wind sweeps across the top of the mountain." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
August 31, 1922: "Homer Landers came in Monday from Arbuckle Mountain where he served as fire-lookout during the summer." (East Oregonian)
September 1922: "A new lookout station has been erected upon the top of Arbuckle Mountain. The station consists of a platform seven and one-half feet square enclosed by a railing placed in the top of a large fir tree. The platform is 90 ft. from the ground and is supported in the tree by a steel crow's nest frame. A new fire finder has been placed. Homer Landers is the lookout man at Arbuckle and is much pleased with his new quarters--except when a strong wind sweeps across the top of the mountain." (Six Twenty-Six)
November 21, 1922: "The lookout tree on Arbuckle mountain has been guyed to withstand the storms of winter. Four guys were put on and tightened with turnbuckles. A steel cable with a breaking strain in excess of three tons was used. Ranger Woods and Milton Spurlock did the work." (Heppner Herald)
December 1922: "The lookout tree is becoming a point of interest to visitors at Arbuckle Mountain. The tree is a large Douglas fir. The crow's nest is eighty-four feet from the ground. It consists of a platform seven and one-half feet in diameter, surrounded by a galvanized railing four feet in height. The platform is supported by a frame of angle steel. The top of the tree was cut off about four feet above the floor of the platform and the fire locating instrument firmly bolted onto the top of the stump. The lower forty feet of the ladder rests on the ground and leans against the tree. Firmness is given by three pairs of wooden braces. From this on up the ladder spirals the tree. Three landings have been provided where the climber may regain his breath (and his nerve).
All of the work was done on contributed time. The upper half of the ladder was done by R.A. Culick, the lookout, in connection with his regular duty of watching for fires. Next season safety will be further added to the ladders and landings by the construction of hand railings.
An interesting feature of the work was hoisting the galvanized iron railing to the platform. The railing was about twenty-five feet in circumference and four feet deep, open at before ends and weighed close to three hundred pounds. The hoisting was done by means of a swing pole, a block and tackle and K.P. Cecil's car. A wooden pulley, grooved to carry a rope was fastened onto the rear axle of the car and the rear wheels jacked clear of the ground. The rope went once around the pulley and the slack was handled by Ranger Woods who also kept a once-around on a post as insurance against accident in case something caught or slipped. Lookout Culick guided the rope on the pulley and K.P. Cecil acted as engineer. The lookout's tub was started skyward and every thing went like clock work. S.R.W." (Six Twenty-Six)
June 12, 1923: "R.A. Culick is being employed in clearing the roads and trails of fallen trees, brush and loose rocks and making them ready for travel. During the fire season he will be in charge of the lookout station on Arbuckle mountain." (Heppner Herald)
July 1923: "R.A. Culick is being employed in clearing the roads and trails of fallen trees, brush, and loose rocks and making them ready for travel. During the fire season, he will be in charge of the lookout station on Arbuckle Mountain." (Six Twenty-Six)
September 1923: "A road on easy grade has been completed right up to the tower on Arbuckle mountain. The road bed is still quite soft and a heavy rain is needed to pack it. The work was done by R.A. Culick, lookout man, at odd times when conditions permitted him to leave the lookout tower." (Six Twenty-Six)
September 1923: "R.A. Culick now has a radio at the lookout on top of Arbuckle mountain, It was recently brought in and installed by K.P. Cecil. Owing to the clarity of the atmosphere at the high elevation the music and talks come in strong and clear. It is proving to be quite an attraction to other forest officers and campers. This is the second radio on the Western Division; Clarence Bisbee of Dixon Ranger Station having installed one some time ago.: (Six Twenty-Six)
September 25, 1923: "A road on easy grade has been completed right up to the tower on Arbuckle mountain. The roadbed id still quite soft and a heavy rain is needed to pack it. The work was done by R. A. Culick, lookoutman, at odd times when conditions permitted him to leave the lookout tower.
R.A. Culick now has a radio at the lookout on top of Arbuckle mountain. It was recently brought in and in stalled by K.P. Cecil. Owing to the clarity of the atmosphere at the high elevation the music and talks come in strong and clear. It is proving to be quite an attraction to other forest officers and campers. This is the second radio on the western division, Clarence Bisbee of Dixon ranger station having installed one some time ago." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
July 16, 1925: "Donald Church is in charge of the lookout station on Arbuckle mountain." (The Gazette-Times)
June 2, 1927: "Frank P. Farnsworth, who has been caring for the aged Mr. Farrens at Hardman during the past few months, left this week for Arbuckle mountain where he will be in charge of the forest lookout station during the summer." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
October 20, 1927: "Work on the new Arbuckle lookout tower was completed yesterday, according to Frank Farnsworth, lookout there the past season who returned to town yesterday. This tower, though not as high as the old one, is located nearer the top of the mountain and affords a better view of the surrounding country than did the old one. The tower has been under construction for some time and was nearly completed once when a high wind blew it over, demolishing a greater part of the construction. It is now ready to be put in use the coming season, however." + "Frank Farnsworth returned to the city yesterday morning after a sojourn of several months in the mountains, coming in with Chas. Thompson who went up Sunday and spent a couple days hunting. Frank was stationed at the Arbuckle lookout station as lookout during the fire season, and remained in the vicinity of Kelley prairie for a hunt. Though he killed no deer, Frank is feeling better than he has for a long time, having enjoyed his summer's work immensely." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
June 6, 1929: "Raymond Gates, Spray, will be lookout at Arbuckle mountain during the coming summer months. Mr. Gates is now located at Arbuckle Corrals where he will count sheep entering the forest during the month of June." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
1930's: A 24-foot pole platform served as the lookout structure.
January 29, 1931: "The tower on Arbuckle mountain was remodeled and a cabin built for the lookout." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
August 15, 1935: "Roy Quackenbush, lookout on Arbuckle mountain, gained relief long enough to visit town Tuesday. He and Mrs. Quackenbush are nicely located at the lookout station, and their register contains the names of many folks who have visited there during the season." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
August 5, 1937: "George Gillis was in Lexington Thursday afternoon from Arbuckle lookout where he is stationed this summer." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
June 12, 1941: "Bert Mason, Jr., who has completed his junior year in forestry at O.S.C., returned home last week and Monday entered the forest service. He went out to Arbuckle mountain." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
April 11, 1946: "Tentative plans were made to rebuild Arbuckle lookout this spring if an experienced carpenter can be found." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
August 15, 1946: "We are expecting to begin the new Arbuckle tower very soon. The carpenter and his assistants are expecting to arrive on the scene this weekend." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
September 5, 1946: "Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, carpenter and cook on Arbuckle tower, have returned to Pendleton.
The Arbuckle tower is just in its first stages of construction, the foundation being nearly completed.
Mr. and Mrs. Bert Bleakman have left Bull Prairie and probably will be located at the Arbuckle tower the next few weeks." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
January 31, 1948: "Arbuckle Mountain now boasts a new 14 x 14 lookout station, perched on top of an 83 foot tower. Final completion of the house will be made during the spring of 1948. The new tower will house the lookout, thus affording constant vigilance." (Ukiah Ranger District Annual Report)
February 4, 1948: "The building of the first tower on Arbuckle...was an experiment and departure in tower building. It was laminated lumber posts. It was constructed at a low cost and it looked like we had a new system well in had and something that would revolutionize and reduce the cost of tower building. At least it so looked the first year but after a year of rain and moisture the legs warped into a letter 'S' shape and were we the laughing stock. Anyway experimentation was encouraged and we did the experimenting." (Letter to Supervisor, Umatilla N.F. from Supervisor, Columbia N.F.)
January 27, 1956: "Arbuckle tower was repaired." (Ukiah Ranger District Annual Report)
1976: The lookout was removed
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The NGS Data Sheet
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STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1936
THIS OCCUPIED STATION IS ON THE SUMMIT OF ARBUCKLE MOUNTAIN, A
HIGH TIMBERED POINT 16 MILES AIR LINE W BY N FROM UKIAH, AND 4
MILES AIR LINE NW OF ELLIS RANGER STATION.
STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE 60-FOOT LOOKOUT TOWER.
REFERENCE MARK IS A DISK SET IN ROCK OUTCROP, 0.503 METER
(1.65 FEET) SW OF THE STATION, IN AZIMUTH 37 DEG 13 MIN.
TO REACH STATION FROM UKIAH, DRIVE TO ELLIS RANGER STATION,
CONTINUE W ABOUT 3 MILES, THENCE NW ABOUT 2 MILES TO HIGHEST POINT
AND LOOKOUT.
DESCRIBED BY US FOREST SERVICE 1936
THIS OCCUPIED STATION IS ON THE SUMMIT OF ARBUCKLE MOUNTAIN, A
HIGH TIMBERED POINT 16 MILES AIR LINE W BY N FROM UKIAH, AND 4
MILES AIR LINE NW OF ELLIS RANGER STATION.
STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE 60-FOOT LOOKOUT TOWER.
REFERENCE MARK IS A DISK SET IN ROCK OUTCROP, 0.503 METER
(1.65 FEET) SW OF THE STATION, IN AZIMUTH 37 DEG 13 MIN.
TO REACH STATION FROM UKIAH, DRIVE TO ELLIS RANGER STATION,
CONTINUE W ABOUT 3 MILES, THENCE NW ABOUT 2 MILES TO HIGHEST POINT
AND LOOKOUT.
