ARIZONA LOOKOUTS

SPRUCE MOUNTAIN

Prescott National Forest
Yavapai County
1911:   Spruce Mountain was first used as a daily patrol lookout.

​April 27, 1921:   "After about a week spent on the Prescott forest, J.C. Kircher, fire prevention specialist from the Albuquerque office, has approved the plans of Supervisor H.B. Wales for the construction of four lookout towers in the Prescott district.  During their inspection trip Kircher and Wales went to the tops of Mount Union, Spruce mountain, Mingus mountain and Table mountain in the Crown King district and have planned that the towers be erected at these points."   (Arizona Daily Star)

June 23, 1921: "Ranger J.C. McNulty is on Spruce Mountain for a day or two with a crew of men cutting timbers for the new lookout tower to be erected there." (Prescott Evening Courier)

July 13, 1921:   "A small forest fire, believed by the forest service here to be the first caused this year by lightning, yesterday was reported in the Jersey Lily district.  The exact extent of the blaze  was not known, thought it was reported to be small.
      First report of the fire came from the Spruce mountain lookout station, where F.M. Mulkins, forest lookout, was on duty.  J.C. McNelty, ranger in charge of the Prescott forest, immediately went to the scene.  He had not returned up to a late hour last night."   (Weekly Journal-Miner)

July 20, 1921:   "H.B. Wales supervisor of the Prescott national forest, and J.D. Jones, assistant forester from Albuquerque, yesterday went to the Groom Creek section where they are making an inspection of the southern part of the Prescott district, in regard to fire prevention work of the service.  While in that section they will also inspect the new lookout station being built at Spruce mountain."   (Weekly Journal-Miner)

July 5, 1922:   "John Park, ex-service man of this city, yesterday came down from Spruce mountain, where he is passing the summer months at the fire lookout station."   (Weekly Journal-Miner)

June 30, 1924: "Boy Scouts rendered valuable service in reporting and fighting the forest fire which broke out Tuesday on Snake creek south of Mt. Tritle, receiving commendation from the reserve officials. The first report of the fire was sent to the local supervisor's office from the Spruce mountain lookout, which was manned during the day by some of the boys at Camp Richards. Robert Flynn of Clemenceau discovered the blaze, which was reported by Robert Yount.
     The forest officials, in speaking on detail at Spruce mountain at scouts, said that the fire report was handled promptly and that the protractor reading taken by the scouts checked exactly.
     In addition to rendering valuable service in reporting the fire, several of the scouts under the direction of Scout Executive A.R. Groenink worked with the forest crew in combating the flames until the fire was brought under control Wednesday morning." (Prescott Evening Courier)

July 7, 1927: "The second fire was spotted two miles south of Spruce mountain in the Senator district bu R.E. Springfels, lookout, who went to the fire himself and stayed with it all night. Report from him this morning over telephone was to the effect that he had tried to call the forest office here yesterday but the line was out of commission." (Prescott Evening Courier)

August 4, 1927: "Indian creek was the setting for a lightning caused fire yesterday on which five men worked hastily to prevent it from burning more than a half acre of forest growth.
     R.E. Springfels, Spruce mountain lookout, reported the fire at 2:30 o'clock. L.J. Putcsh, assistant forest supervisor and Lyman Kiddoo, chief clerk in the forest office, went to the scene of the fire to be joined later by Ranger John C. McNelty and James McGibney, former lookout. The forest men worked on the fire until 8 o'clock last night before being satisfied that it was safe to leave it." (Prescott Evening Courier)

July 10, 1929: "There was one lightning fire on the Prescott national forest, spotted and controlled early this morning by Lookout William Anderson of Spruce mountain. The location of the fire was between Groom creek and Spruce mountain. Only a small area was affected."(Prescott Evening Courier)

July 8, 1932: "About four o'clock yesterday afternoon lightning struck a large pine tree on the west slope of Spruce mountain, setting it afire, Ranger McNelty reported today. Lookout Dwight Morris of Spruce worked all nigh cutting down the tree, which had a four-foot diameter, in order to smother the fire and keep it from spreading. Another tree in Crooks canyon, near olf Palace station, was hit by lightning yesterday but a heavy rain that followed put it out." (Prescott Evening Courier)

August 2, 1933: "A new barn has been built at the Spruce mountain lookout station and another barn for the Mount union lookout station is about half done." (Prescott Evening Courier)

May 17, 1938: "Ranger Turney has placed a new lookout on Spruce mountain, about nine miles from Prescott. He is A. Starker Leopold, a student of the forestry school of the University of California, and beginning today he will be here until some time in July." (Prescott Evening Courier)

October 23, 1943: "U.S. 'Blackie' Holladay, coxswain from the coast guard patrol base in Loma Linda, Calif., is visiting here on leave with friends. He was formerly with the forest service here, as lookout on the Spruce mountain station." (Prescott Evening Courier)

July 29, 1947: "A small, lightning caused forest fire was reported last night near Spruce Mountain at 8 o'clock by Lookout Sam Poteet. The blaze was brought under control promptly and with slight damage, it was reported." (Prescott Evening Courier)

August 29, 1949: "The forest service reported today that the fire lookout has been put back on Spruce mountain in the Prescott National forest. The fire danger, the forest service reports is as bad right now as it was in the later part of June of this year." (Prescott Evening Courier)