BOLAN MOUNTAIN
Josephine County - Siskiyou National Forest - 41S-6W-7
February 1914: "Herman Luethye, lookoutman on Bolan Peak last summer has made a working model of a brush hook." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
August 1915: "A cabin will be constructed at the Bolan Peak Lookout Station." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
September 1915: "During the coming month I expect to construct the Bolen Lookout cabin, that is, providing the weather will permit. Ranger Lewis" (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
June 1916: "On the 15th, we went to the Bolan Lookout expecting to complete our cabin, we supposed that our lumber would be dry and in shape to work but, instead we dug down into the snow bank six feet before coming to the top of the pile of lumber and as the the pile was about seven feet high at this point, the snow would have been about 13 feet deep where last year at the same date the snow was only about 2 feet deep at the same point. Ranger Lewis, Page District" (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
August 28, 1916: "D.B. Reynolds, of the local forestry office, left this morning for a two weeks' trip inspecting the different lookout stations in this district. The first camps visited will be Bolan and Sanger mountains. Mr. Reynolds will then go to High Dome and Red Mountain and other stations in that vicinity." (Rogue River Courier)
October 1916: "After a seasons use of the only lookout building that we have on the district which is built after the plan of lookout houses on the California Forests, we find that at times the reflection or mirage is so great that it is impossible to accurately judge distances in locating a fire from the interior of the cabin. I would like to ask if any of you have had similar trouble and if so, how did you remedy the defect." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
1917: A 12 by 12 frame lookout house built on a six foot high log cribbing completed.
June 1919: "Material was packed into Bolan Mountain Lookout Station for the purpose of building a tower on the roof of the present lookout house." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
August 1919: "September 3, 6:30 a.m. a real old fashioned rain began at the Page Creek Ranger Station, and wet things down in good shape, at Bolan Peak Lookout Station enough snow fell to slide off the lookout house and nearly frightened Mr. Luethye to death, as he was sure that the tower that had recently been built on the house was being carried away by the wind which blew a 70 mile gale." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
June 1920: "On Mr. Luethye's arrival at the Bolan Mountain Lookout Station this spring he found that a heavy storm which occurred sometime during the winter has made a good start at tearing the lookout house from its foundation one of the anchors had gave way and nearly everything that was loose on the peak had blown away." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
June 21, 1921: "Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hogue are moving to Boling Peak where Mr. Hogue will be lookout man for the forest service." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
July 1921: "Charles C. Hogue, lookout on Bolan Mountain, became very ill the latter part of the month with acute stomach disorder and necessarily had to come out for medical attention. But fortunately Herman Luethye, veteran of many seasons at that station, is back at his old post acting as relief man during Hogues absence." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
September 1923: "August has passed with a record of no man-caused fires to date this season. We had a small one at Bolan Lookout caused by lightning but it did not take Fred Seyferth the lookout long to put it on the list of subdued fires." (Six Twenty-Six)
October 1925: "The lookout house on Bolan Mountain is now equipped with lightning protection and is resplendent with a new coat of paint." (Six Twenty-Six)
October 1925: "There is about three inches of snow on Bolan Peak, and we are wondering if we haven't delayed moving the lookout's equipment out just a few days too long." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
1927: Bolan Peak Lookout reported four fire discoveries on the forest in 1927, leading all other Siskiyou lookouts.
September 1928: "Herman Luethye, lookout on Bolan Peak reported humidity of 13% at seven a.m. on September 20." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
October 1928: "During the past fire season Bolan Peak reported 21 smokes." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
February 1929: "In lining up our summer protective force we find that Herman Luethye, who has been lookout on Bolan Peak for the past 13 or 14 years, is unable to take the job this year on account of defective eyesight. An Oculist has advised him that a cataract is forming on each eye which will eventually result in total blindness. Herman has been with us so long and has done such good work that it is going to be hard to get along without him." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
July 10, 1929: "James Kellogg left Friday morning for Bolan Peak Lookout where he will be stationed for the summer." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
October 2, 1930: "Herman Luethye will be down from Bolan Peak Lookout the first of October." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
October 21, 1930: "Supervisor Billingslea announced that Herman Luethye, veteran lookout, went back Tuesday to his farseeing perch on Bolan Peak. This year is his fifteenth season looking out for forest fires." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
September 1932: "Herman Luethye, Bolan Pk. Look-out for 18 years. 'I have in a few words given my opinion and some of my experience, during my years of service as Lookout at Bolan Peak.
Now that all old men have to retire, I would like to make a few suggestions that may help the man to follow to report fires more accurate, with very little more work for the P.A.
First, when a fire is reported, and correct location platted, let the P.A. call his lookouts and give the platted location of the fire, this gives the lookout a mark to go by to locate the next fire.
Second, when the men are ready to go to the fire, call the lookout nearest to it, to make sure it is a fire. I know of more than one instant where the men were sent out and no fire found especially after a thunder storm.
Third, when fire is entirely out, the P.A. is the only one in the office that knows, therefore inform the lookout, so he can mark the fire out in his report. There are only rare instances that the lookout is able to determine this from his station, especially if base of fire was not sighted.
I have probable located and reported about 700 fires during my time of service, some of them pretty accurate, some of them I missed quite a bit. I also have made mistakes, but only twice to my knowledge have I reported a fire, after a thunderstorm that was either a bunch of fog or it rained out, during the storm, for it's location was never found.
I started as lookout in July 1913 served only part time in 1921, not at all in 1923 and part time in 1929. Served under five different Supervisors, and five different Rangers, found them all splendid men doing the best they could and well liked by the men working under them.
I have liked the work well, otherwise I would not have stayed as long as I did. The man that is not a lover of nature, has not learned to stay alone in hills, can not accustom himself to the various moods of nature, but expects all sunshine and pleasure, will never make a good lookout man, but will be sorely disappointed, and had better stay at home with Mama.
In this my Farewell Letter, I extend to all Officers and men of the Siskiyou National Forest my heart felt thanks for all courtesies shown me, and wishing them success in their work in the future.
I am with kind regards. Herman Luethye" (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
May 1940: "Position is in center of a very heavy concentration of past lightning fires, and suggested season is based on the possible lightning season, plus a somewhat later date because its seen area over 8 miles includes area in which man-caused fires appear." (Plans, Guard Placement, Siskiyou National Forest)
1951: One and one third miles of road constructed to the lookout.
1953: A new 14x14 L-4 lookout house constructed.
September 29, 1972: "Everett Deniston's (Bald Knob Lookout) twin brother, Ernie, was married last spring and he and his wife Sally, are at the Bolan lookout in the Illinois Valley ranger district." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
September 2020: The lookout structure was completely destroy by the Slater fire.
DESIGNATION - BOLAN MTN LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - NZ1263
STATE/COUNTY- OR/JOSEPHINE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - OREGON CAVES (1986)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952 (WRH)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 13 MILES AIRLINE EAST SOUTHEAST OF
OBRIEN, 6.5 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF THE OREGON CAVES, ON A HIGH
SHARP PEAK LOCALLY KNOWN AS ALTHOUSE MOUNTAIN.
THE LOOKOUT IS A LOW ONE STORY BUILDING WITH A CUPOLA ON TOP. IT
IS ABOUT 1/2 MILE NORTH OF STATION ALTHOUSE (USGS). THE CENTER
OF THE TOP OF THE HOUSE WAS INTERSECTED.