Maine (WMTW) – Maine is full of history. Did you know that the first continually operated fire tower in the country was right here in Maine?
The tower at the top of what is now known as Big Moose Mountain, then called Big Squaw Mountain, was built in 1905. Until 1976, the fire watchmen of Big Moose Mountain maintained a constant presence, watching for smoke and fires.
The cab of the tower was removed by helicopter in 2011 and moved to the Moosehead Lake Region Visitors Center in Greenville, where it still stands today.
Tuesday, Maine Forest Rangers shared a picture of one of the drones that is now used to help detect fires by checking out the tower.
According to a report from the state and Natural Heritage Hikes, a metal tower replaced the original wooden structure in 1919.
The report says: “When not manning the fire tower, watchmen would cook, sleep, and carry out their lives in a nearby camp. Early watchmen would leave camp rarely for supplies, while later watchmen were able to travel more frequently, thanks to the widening of the access path to accommodate jeeps.”
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