PRICE PEAK
Benton County - Oregon Department of Forestry - 10S-5W-29
Activated: December 7, 1942. Eugene Filter Center.
August 7, 1942: "Yesterday District Warden Hugh Walker made a field examination of prospective AWS observation post sites in the vicinity of the Arboretum.
His recommendation is that the post be established in the N 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36, Township 10 South, Range 6, West. This site is 900 feet from the end of a graveled road, but would require construction of approximately 1,800 feet of road to reach the proposed site. About 5 miles of telephone line will be required to connect with a commercial switchboard. The site has been logged over and will require the falling of approximately 25 to 30,000 feet of snags and timber in order to get clear vision.
Mr. Walker picked the site having in mind the future establishment of a lookout station. It would take an 80 to 100 foot tower on the site if it were to be used for fire detection. However, Mr. Walker recommends that a ground station be established which would be satisfactory for an AWS Station and it would not be necessary to built a tower for that purpose.
The land is privately owned, and it will be necessary for thew State to acquire the site for the buildings. We do not anticipate trouble in acquiring this land.
No further action will be taken towards establishing this station until final approval is received from you." (A letter to James Frankland, Assistant Regional Forester from the State Forester)
His recommendation is that the post be established in the N 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 36, Township 10 South, Range 6, West. This site is 900 feet from the end of a graveled road, but would require construction of approximately 1,800 feet of road to reach the proposed site. About 5 miles of telephone line will be required to connect with a commercial switchboard. The site has been logged over and will require the falling of approximately 25 to 30,000 feet of snags and timber in order to get clear vision.
Mr. Walker picked the site having in mind the future establishment of a lookout station. It would take an 80 to 100 foot tower on the site if it were to be used for fire detection. However, Mr. Walker recommends that a ground station be established which would be satisfactory for an AWS Station and it would not be necessary to built a tower for that purpose.
The land is privately owned, and it will be necessary for thew State to acquire the site for the buildings. We do not anticipate trouble in acquiring this land.
No further action will be taken towards establishing this station until final approval is received from you." (A letter to James Frankland, Assistant Regional Forester from the State Forester)
August 12, 1942: "The location of Price Observation Post (Albany 95), tentatively called Arboretum until an exact location for the post could be selected, is approved its location very nicely fills in the gap which the Fourth Fighter Command requested to be filled.
Approval is given to construct the 1800 feet of road at the end of the graveled road mentioned. It is expected that the road will be low standard. Approval is also given to construct the five miles of grounded telephone line to the nearest commercial switchboard, to do minor clearing work necessary, and erect buildings as follows:
1. Build a 16x18 ground house on the same plan as the regular garage, except that more windows are to be provided and garage doors eliminated. The building can serve as a garage later. The building is to be sealed in and floored, and used as the living quarters.
2. Build a 10x12 storage building, also sealed in for miscellaneous storage and sleeping quarters.
3. Build a woodshed for storing approximately six cords of wood. The rest of the winter's wood supply could be cut and stored as needed.
Before work is started the State Board of Forestry is expected to obtain title to the land and necessary easement for the road, if required.
Construction and activation of this post at an early date will be appreciated. Please inform us two or three days in advance of the time the post is manned, giving us the telephone connection so we can inform the Army in time for it to mail the observer's kit and other instructions." (A letter from James Frankland, USFS Engineering to the State Forester)
September 9, 1942: "Reference is made to my memorandum of August 12 regarding the improvements approved for Price Observation Post.
It will be entirely satisfactory to this office if you were to use a portable building at this station. However, if you are unable to obtain the portable building you planned, please substitute the 18x20 standard AWS building which we recently designed." (A memorandum to the State Forester from James Frankland, USFS Engineering)
September 9, 1942: "Reference is made to my memorandum of August 12 regarding the improvements approved for Price Observation Post.
It will be entirely satisfactory to this office if you were to use a portable building at this station. However, if you are unable to obtain the portable building you planned, please substitute the 18x20 standard AWS building which we recently designed." (A memorandum to the State Forester from James Frankland, USFS Engineering)
Removed