Chilhowee Fire Tower offers one of,
if not the best view in the the Smokies!
Fire Towers in the Great Smoky Mountains
A word on the dismantling of fire towers. It is our belief that the purpose
of the Park Service and indeed of the park itself is the preservation of the
beauty and history of the mountains. In recent years there has been a
tendency toward what I call 'restoring the park to its original condition.'
It was not at its inception, nor has it ever been the mission of the park to
restore the original condition. If that were the case, then the dissolution
of the trail system, all roads, campgrounds and picnic areas, signs, bridges,
ranger stations as well as animal and fire protection would also need to be
done away with. To truly restore the park to its original condition would mean
the total waste of the entire area. The park stands for one purpose: to allow
responsible people to enjoy this unique and magnificent territory.
States.
It is our opinion that the dismantling of the fire towers is an irresponsible
spoiling of the resources and history of the park. The destructive forces of
bureaucracy have defaced more of the beauty than thousands of reckless campers.
A hundred forest fires could not have done away with as much beauty as was
formerly found on many of the lonely peaks. A hike to one of these lost
vistas is more than a disappointment. It is a breach of trust by those given
the stewardship of the park. The cost and effort of removing a tower is far
greater than that of replacing countless years worth of wooden steps and
flooring.
Aerial surveillance has replaced the fire tower system. Formerly, the towers
were manned 24 hours every day. A ranger crew would live nearby and take
shifts manning the tower. Inside was a large turntable with a sight mounted
on a table on which was a topographic map and a 360° compass. When smoke
was spotted, a bearing was measured to its source. Communication by radio,
telegraph or telephone to an adjacent tower was made. The bearing from two
or more towers would allow the rangers to pinpoint the fire by triangulation.
A few towers are still in use, though most often for meteorological observation.
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