GREEN PETER
Linn County - Linn County Fire Patrol - 12S-2E-32
1912: An Alidade established.
1920: A D-6 model cupola lookout house built.
July 1928: "Mr. G.E. Whitcomb, lookout on Green Peter, in the Linn County F.P.A. unit, has for some time been working on a scheme to enable lookouts to tell what is something else. There are times when fog looks so much like smoke that the best that can be done is to make a guess and turn in the suspect as a fire. This often makes the smoke chaser's feet sore and his heart bad. If, on the other hand, we insist that suspicious looking smoke is only a little fog that will soon evaporate, and guess wrong, the results are even worse.
Mr. Whitcomb has experimented with different colors of glass until he has found a shade of green through which fog is visible and smoke is much less so. He is not yet satisfied with his colors and is still working at it; but seems probable that he has found something valuable. E.R. MacDaniels" (Six Twenty-Six)
August 20, 1931: "The Hill Fire Patrol answered a call in the Mountain Home district near Sodaville Wednesday and put out a fire before it had done any appreciable damage. The fire was reported from Hurricane Deck and Green Peter lookouts." (The New Era)
May 1938: "Construction of a logging road by the Gainer Logging Co., has made it possible to drive within a quarter of a mile of the Green Peter lookout. Heretofore it has been necessary to pack over four miles of trail in order to reach the station." (The Forest Log)
Activated: August 13, 1942: Deactivated: September 22, 1943. Eugene Filter Center.
1942: "To accommodate aircraft warning observers during the winter months, a combination woodshed-living room and a service road were constructed at Green Peter Lookout, and the lookout station was repaired and winterized. Extra labor and material costs on these projects were borne by the Government."
"Green Peter AWS - 16 x 18 woodshed and living quarters combined - frame building, painted - concrete foundation." (Linn District Annual Report)
"Green Peter AWS - 16 x 18 woodshed and living quarters combined - frame building, painted - concrete foundation." (Linn District Annual Report)
August 17, 1942: "Approval is requested for the construction of about 1/2 mile of road from the end of an existing logging road to the Green Peter Lookout site. This will be a low standard road suitable for the transportation of supplies and materials to the AWS Station, estimated cost $600.00.
Approval is also requested to construct a 16'x18' ground house, regular garage plan, to be finished suitable for storage and sleeping quarters." (Letter from the State Forester to James Frankland, Assistant Regional Forester)
August 19, 1942: "Construction of about one-half mile of road to reach Green Peter Lookout as outlined, at an estimated cost of $600, is approved.
Construction of a 16'x18' ground house, regular garage plan, as outlined, is approved." (Memo to State Forester from James Frankland, Assistant Regional Forester)
September 23, 1942: "Billy Swink of McDowell Creek spent the weekend with the L.A. Swink family. He returned to his home Sunday night with his uncle, who is building a lookout cabin on Green Peter mountain above Foster." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
September 1943: The Army requested the inactivation of the AWS station effective 8 p.m., September 22.
June 3, 1943: "Two lookouts of the association were kept manned all the past winter. At Green Peter, at the head of McDowell creek, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Whitcomb have been in charge all winter, and will continue to remain there for the duration." (The Lebanon Express)
June 10, 1943: "Mrs. G.E. Whitcomb, who is with her husband at the government lookout at Green Peter mountain, came last week for a few days' stay at her home here. She will return this week." (The Lebanon Express)
1946: "All lookout reports are made to the Green Peter LO. Mrs. Baker sends the summary reports to the headquarters. This system is also used by the Polk-Benton District. It eliminates the need of headquarters clerk or dispatcher recording hourly reports. Due to the radio system anyone in the office can hear the lookout's hourly reports being made to Green Peter. I believe this is a very good system." (1946 USFS Records Correspondence)
September 2, 1948: "Three Linn county boys who are still in their middle teens, last week while on a horseback trip in the mountains, broke into the Green Peter lookout cabin, destroyed and carried away provisions, according to a report from Linn county fire patrol rangers.
Although the identity of the boy is known, there have not been any arrests to date. William Close, who is in charge of the lookout for the season, was absent at the time of the raid." (The Lebanon Express)
June 1, 1950: "Green Peter Lookout Clarence Jacobson reported the blaze to the Fire Patrol after yesterday's drying east wind brought to life a holdover fire on the Bert James property two miles south of Sodaville and eight miles northwest of Sweet Home. The wind carried flames out of the clearing and into green timber.
The Fire Patrol reported that no appreciable damage was done to timber, although a few young trees were killed." (The New Era)
1954: "An addition of a battery operated radio unit on Green Peter Lookout will Facilitate broadcasting and receiving from the Sweet Home office." (Linn District Annual Report)
1956: "The interior of the lookout house was remodeled for a cost of two hundred dollars." (Linn District Annual Report)
August 16, 1957: "David Schmidt, who is spending the summer as a lookout at Green Peter lookout station near Sweet Home, was at the home of his parents for the weekend. An Albany Union High graduate last spring, he plans to enter college this fall." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
1969: "In October the old lookout was torn down and a new 14x14 standard building is under construction. Materials from the Jordan and Swamp Mountain lookouts are being used in the new building." (Linn District Annual Report)
1970: A 14 x 14 hip-roofed lookout house completed.
August 27, 2006: "The current lookout was rebuilt in 2004, with new walls, floors and windows. The original was built in 1923, Forest Protection Supervisor Jim Basting said. In 1969, workers hoisted that structure over the edge and erected a square, windowed structure similar to today's." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)