ARIZONA LOOKOUTS
ATASCOSA MOUNTAIN
Santa Cruz County
Coronado National Forest
23S-12E-18
Coronado National Forest
23S-12E-18
November 24, 1929: "Constant sentry watch from the commanding height of Atascosa Point, located 25 miles west of Nogales and four miles north of the international line, will in the future provide added protection against forest fires in the border district.
The site was selected during the past week following an exhaustive survey of the territory by Fred Winn, superintendent of the Coronado national forest; and his assistants, W.J. Anderson and C.W. McKenzie.
Established of the lookout previously had been sanctioned by the United States forest department and, following filing of the report designating the location, it is expected that the preliminary work of blazing a trail to the location and installing telephone connection will be commenced within the next few days. A lookout in the border district long has been deemed a necessity not only for protection against encroaching fires sweeping northward from Sonora." (Arizona Daily Star)
The site was selected during the past week following an exhaustive survey of the territory by Fred Winn, superintendent of the Coronado national forest; and his assistants, W.J. Anderson and C.W. McKenzie.
Established of the lookout previously had been sanctioned by the United States forest department and, following filing of the report designating the location, it is expected that the preliminary work of blazing a trail to the location and installing telephone connection will be commenced within the next few days. A lookout in the border district long has been deemed a necessity not only for protection against encroaching fires sweeping northward from Sonora." (Arizona Daily Star)
June 19, 1944: "First reported on Friday by the lookout from Atascosa Peak to Ranger Gilbert Sykes of Nogalas, it was impossible to locate the center of the blaze or to determine on whose land it was burning. Reports were contradictory but it is now believed that the closest ranches are those belonging to C.E. Britten and the Howell Manning's Canoa ranch.
Present indications point to the origin of the blaze somewhere near the Mormon settlement at McGee's with strong winds sweeping it northward." (Tucson Daily Citizen)
May 25, 1967: "Perched atop a mountain, a petite, youngish grandmother is handling a job many men can't take.
Loneliness often gnaws at a fire lookout and drives him back to civilization, say many U.S. Forest Service people.
But Mrs. Dorothy Williams, doesn't mind her life in a 12 by 12 foot lookout on top of a small ledge in the Atascosa Mountains near Nogales.
"I've never gotten cabin fever," said Mrs. Williams, the only woman working alone as a lookout in the Coronado National Forest.
Forest Service officials recall one of her male predecessors in the Atascosas who came down from his perch within a month, went to the district ranger's office in Nogales, handed over all his gear and left -- never saying a word." (Tucson Daily Citizen)
June 5, 2011: The historic lookout and outhouse were destroyed in the Murphy Fire.
“LOOKOUTS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN REGION”
USDA FOREST SERVICE
SEPTEMBER 1989
USDA FOREST SERVICE
SEPTEMBER 1989
"This lookout house is located on the Nogales Ranger District and was erected in 1930 or 1933 by the Forest Service. The lookout is no longer being used as a fire detection facility but is now a rest area for hikers; it is accessible by trail only This lookout is an L:-4 type wooden house with dimensions of 14 feet by 14 feet. Historic photographs indicate that there has been minimal modification since 1933. The associated outhouse and stone cistern were also built in 1933 and exhibit no apparent modification. This lookout house, as well as the cistern and outhouse, have retained their integrity of original design, construction, workmanship, materials, setting, location and association and are recommended for National Register eligibility."