ARIZONA LOOKOUTS

PROMONTORY POINT

Coconino County
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
11N-13E-5
​June 6, 1913:   "On the Sitgreaves National Forest, the headquarters of which are at Snowflake, over $6,000 has been expended, largely for the purpose of connecting ranger stations and lookout points with the Supervisor's office, in order to afford communication in case of fire.
      Work is being commenced on a tower on Promontory Butte, overlooking Tonto Basin."   (The Holbrook News)

​August 21, 1913:  "An engineering feat that has called for special commendation from Chief Forester Graves was reported to the forest service from the Sitgreaves national forest in Arizona.  A lookout tower, built entirely of logs and thrusting its bulk 115 feet into the air, was constructed by forest rangers entirely without the aid of hoisting apparatus.  The work was accomplished entirely by unassisted man muscle and pure strength.  The timber for the construction of the tower was procured on the spot.  The tower will be used in watching for the outbreak of forest fires."  (Buffalo Bulletin - Wyoming)

​August 26, 1913:  "A 115-foot lookout tower on the Sitgreaves national forest, Arizona, just constructed by forest officers, was built entirely of logs and without the use of hoisting machinery other than ropes and tackle blocks."  (Sheridan Post - Wyoming)

​March 12, 1914:  "On his way from the Sitgreaves national forest in Arizona, where last summer he built a 100-foot lookout tower for use in detecting forest fires, to the Carson national forest in the northern part of this state.  C.H. Kissam, deputy forest supervisor, stopped at the forest service headquarters today.  He continued on his journey to Carson forest this afternoon.
      The building of the fire lookout in the Sitgreaves forest is regarded as a noteworthy piece of work in the service, on account of the difficulties surrounding the construction.  Sitgreaves forest is the second forest encountered in Arizona by tourists traveling westward on the ocean-to-ocean highway.
      The tower built by Mr. Kissam overlooks an immense area of timberland.  Looking eastward from the tower the eyemeets a stretch of timber forty miles in extent.  It is proposed to sell 630,000,00 feet of the timber that  the tower overlooks.  An article in Engineering News describes the construction of the watch tower in the forest, referring to it as a remarkable piece of engineering work."  (Albuquerque Herald)

​November 25, 1921:  "A decision has been reached by the Forest Service that the 116 foot wooden lookout tower on Promontory Butte on the Chevelon district will be abandoned and destroyed.  This decision is the result of an investigations made by representatives of the Washington,  Albuquerque and local Forest Offices, which showed, that while the tower might serve for another season, it was not advisable to risk its use any longer.  Supervisor Hoyt states that the tower will be replaced by a steel tower or that the lookout station will be abandoned and cross readings from the Bakers Butte lookout on the Coconino Forest will be dependent upon in connection with readings from the Chevelon Butte lookout on the north edge of the forest.
    Scaler Fred Markle of the local office and Ranger William Baldwin of the Chevelon district have been examining the Chevelon district to ascertain if there is any point on the district where a tower of less height will serve the purpose.  The old wooden tower has been somewhat famous as the highest one in this district, if not the forest service and its construction was considered some engineering feat by those who have visited it.  Deputy Supervisor Kissam, now of the Manzano forest, being the designer and builder, assisted by Fred Turley, George Flake, Dan Morgan, Bob Grissom and one or two other boys from this locality."  (Winslow Mail)

December 6, 1921:   "One of the sights which for years has been of interest to tourists in Arizona, the wooden look-out tower on Promontory Butte near Snowflake is being wrecked after eight years service, and a steel tower probably will be erected in its place.  The look-out tower, which was erected on Promontory Butte in the Sitgreaves national forest, during 1913, is 116 feet high and has been used as a fire lookout by the forest service.  The tower still is in good condition, but rather than take any chances, the service has ordered  it wrecked.--Courier."   (Arizona Republic)

​1924:  The early wooden tower was replaced with the 110-foot Aermotor model LS-40 tower with 7x7 cab.

​June 20, 1925:  "C.A. Long, chief engineer of the district forest office, returned Friday from a 4,000 mile trip through the forests of the southwestern district for the purpose of studying forest roads and getting first hand information on the conditions of roads in the national forests of New Mexico and Arizona.  He was accompanied by J.F. Mullen, forest inspector.
     Mr. Long ascended the new Promontory butte lookout tower, the highest in the forest.  This tower, on the Coconino rim in the Sitgreaves forest, is 110 feet high.  A fire lookout stays in the tower all day."  (Albuquerque Journal)

​1938:  Stairs replaced the original ladder to access the lookout's cab.

​July 15, 1944:  "Feminine fire lookouts, one an 18-year-old co-ed, have been assigned to three of the six observation towers in the Sitgreaves national forest.  The young college student, Wanda M. Turley, watches a third of a million acres from Promontory lookout, highest in Arizona."  (The Abilene Reporter-News)

​July 20, 1951:  "Charles Rapson, of Winslow, is presently acting as relief lookout on Promontory tower of the Sitgreaves National Forest."  (Winslow Mail)

​August 1, 1952:  "Charles M. Rapson has been stationed on Promontory Lookout for the past several weeks.  Mrs. Rapson and daughter Caroline have spent part of the time at the Lookout visiting him.  Mr. Rapson reports that a number of Winslow people have visited the tower in the past few days."  (Winslow Mail)

​June 18, 1954:  "Charles M. Rapson has reported that this is his fifth summer of working in Sitgreaves National Forest.  He is at present stationed at Promontory Lookout on the Tonto Rim."  (Winslow Mail)

​1988:   National Register of Historical Places:  "Promontory Butte Lookout Complex (added 1988 - - #87002455)