MAXWELL BUTTE
Linn County - Willamette National Forest - 13S-71/2E-4
c.1916: A patrol lookout that used a compass.
c.1933: An L-4 lookout house constructed.
October 9, 1933: "In company with J. R. Blake, district ranger of the Cascadia area, Mr. Steele inspected the range allotments on Browder ridge, Maxwell butte, Crescent mountain and Iron mountain and found the grass to have made a good growth this fall.
The forest men also inspected some of the new projects in that district, including the lookout house and trail on Maxwell butte, the lookouts on Wildcat butte and Iron mountain and Bear Pass road. This is a stub road leading from the Santiam highway south to Bear Pass." (The Eugene Guard)
May 3, 1934: "Later on a crew will be started in the construction of a new road to the Maxwell Butte lookout station, Mr. White said." (The Eugene Register-Guard)
July 14, 1939: "Maxwell Butte is the highest lookout in the district with an elevation of 6225 feet. It is located northeast of Fish Lake in Township 13S and Range 7E. The distance from the Cascadia ranger station is 40 miles by the South Santiam highway and 5 miles by trail. Floyd H. Clark is the lookout fireman." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
July 29, 1962: "Vandals have destroyed a fire lookout station on Maxwell Butte in southeastern Marion County. Foresters from the Detroit Ranger Station found the damage Saturday.
District Ranger Ed Graham said they reported all windows smashed, framing chopped away, and contents of the building smashed, including the fire-finder.
The unit is an emergency lookout manned in periods of extreme woods risk now occuring and after lightning storms. It is part of the former Cascadia district which was added this spring to the Detroit sector.
Graham said no damage estimate has been made. He added it may have to be rebuilt. The station overlooks the Eight Lakes basin area.
He also said extensive vandalism has occurred in the primitive area east of here. Nearly all trail signs in the area have been torn down and are missing. Rangers this year are receiving extensive reports of vandalism and thefts from many logging operations in the Detroit ranger district." (Statesman Journal)
1965: The lookout removed.