PEARSOLL PEAK
Josephine/Curry Counties - Siskiyou National Forest - 38S-10W-2
1914: A telephone line constructed from Kerby to Pearsoll Peak.
May 1916: "While working on the Limpy Creek Trail, I had a very good chance to observe Mel's Red Mountain lookout and from the look of the snow I have an idea that he will not be able to get there until October 1. J.P. DeWitt, Galice District Ranger" (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
May 16, 1916: "The forestry service has ordered a lookout cabin in the 'knock-down' which will be taken to the top of Red mountain, near the Illinois river. This cabin is to be constructed by a Salem firm from plans made by the forestry department. A living room for the ranger in charge of the station will be built below, while a lookout station, fitted with telephone, fire locating apparatus, etc., will be constructed above. It is expected that Chas. White, of the Illinois valley, will be in charge at Red mountain this summer." (Rogue River Courier - LoC)
June 1916: "Supervisor MacDuff stopping off at Salem to find out when the ready-built Red Mountain lookout cabin would be shipped. On his return to Grants Pass it was ascertained that the cost of packing this cabin from Selma to Red Mountain - 20 miles - would cost about $600.00. The order for the cabin was transferred to the Columbia National Forest and the project on this Forest abandoned." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
July 14, 1919: "The forest service has just received from Portland, Ore., a ready-cut lookout house which is now being hauled from Grants Pass down the Illinois river to the Anderson ranch, from where it will be packed seven miles to Pearsoll peak, sometimes known as Red mountain.
This ready-cut lookout house is already to be assembled requiring only hammer and screwdriver. Every piece is cut to fit and numbered for the place in the building. The house is 12 feet by 12 feet with a lookout tower or cupola on top. On both house and tower a row of windows extend completely around, so that the lookout man's vision is practically unobstructed in any direction." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
September 12, 1919: "The contract has just been let to Chas. Gilmore to set up a ready cut lookout house on Pricall (sp.) Peak on the Illinois river below Kerby." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
July 1920: "We have at last completed the Pearsoll Peak Lookout house, it is one of the ready cut standard type and it sure is a real house. We bumped up against a few minor mistakes which caused not a little grief, for instance, the plans call for tower windows size 33 1/2" x 38" when we came to fit the windows we found they were 30"x38" a lot of swearing naturally followed; the bevels on the quarter round were all cut for one side; four of the jack rafters were four inches short; the table for the fire finder conforms exactly to the specifications, but does not answer the requirements as it is at least 14" too low on a downward slope of 45 degrees or over, one could never sight the base of a fire looking through the sights of the alidade." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
July 5, 1921: "Four fire finders have been received by the local forestry office for distribution to the various lookouts in the county. By use of these instruments the lookouts will be able to definitely place the fire before phoning in his information to the office. Pearsoll Peak received one of them." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
April 1922: "Mr. Hustis tells me that on the Chetco divide near the head of Rancherie Creek that there is 7 feet of snow and that the Pearsoll Peak Lookout house is entirely covered up. M.M.L." (Six Twenty-Six)
August 9, 1923: "A serious forest fire is raging in the Powers district, say reports received from the local forestry office. The blaze originated in the slashings of the Powers Lumber Company and spread from there into timber holdings of the company. The fire has not yet reached the forest reserve although it is near its boundary. A crew of 100 men is fighting the flames. Last night the lookout on Pearsoll Peak, 40 miles distant, was awakened by the light from the fire, showing the intensity with which it is burning." (Grants Pass Daily Courier)
October 1925: "The lookout house on Pearsoll Peak is now equipped with lightning protection and resplendent with a new coat of paint." (Six Twenty-Six)
June 1929: "Jack Finch, lookout on Pearsoll Peak, owns a freak compass. The south end of the needle points north and all other parts are reversed accordingly." (The Siskiyou Bulletin)
September 10, 1931: "Struck down by lightning, Jack Finch, forest service lookout on Pearson mountain, about seven miles from Selma, lay unconscious for an hour yesterday before recovering sufficiently to telephone for help.
Finch was still dazed from the shock and suffering from numbness of his left side when brought here today.
The station was struck three times, Finch said, but was not damaged. He had been working in the rain and the fact that his clothes were soaked was believed responsible for his being hit by a thunder bolt." (The Oregon Statesman)
Finch was still dazed from the shock and suffering from numbness of his left side when brought here today.
The station was struck three times, Finch said, but was not damaged. He had been working in the rain and the fact that his clothes were soaked was believed responsible for his being hit by a thunder bolt." (The Oregon Statesman)
October 1931: "As Jack Finch was about to enter Pearsoll Peak Lookout Station just after dark on a recent night, he was attracted by a slight rustle. Bringing his flashlight into play he discovered a big rattlesnake, standing on its trailer, and apparently trying to look into one of the windows. Now all that remains of the snake is a fine set of rattlers which Jack kept for a souvenir. J.G. Jackson" (Six Twenty-Six)
October 1931: "Lightning during a storm on September 8 struck the Pearsoll Lookout house three times, and shocked and dazed the lookout. Jack Finch, who, we are glad to state, is rapidly recovering. Adequate lightning protection prevented any damage save a burned out fuse. The electricity jumped an open switch, and burned out the fuse, but got no further." (Six Twenty-Six)
May 1940: "Good seen area in country subject to both man and lightning fires. Accessible only by trail hence justifies fairly early manning." (Plans, Guard Placement, Siskiyou National Forest)
1941: The lookout staffed for 105 days and reported to Redwood by way of forest line to Pacific Telephone and Telegraph.
1954: A standard L-4 1936 version lookout house replaced the old cupola style building.
1954: "The early days of Southern Oregon were relived for a period during the spring and summer as pack horses were used to move materials to Pearsoll Peak where the time worn and weather wracked lookout house was replaced with a new building." (A History of the Siskiyou National Forest)
1994: Restoration of the lookout cabin completed by the Illinois Ranger District and The Sand Mountain Society.
2002: The mountain burned over in the Biscuit Complex fire, fortunately the lookout was spared.