ARIZONA LOOKOUTS
SPUD ROCK
Pima County
Coronado National Forest
Coronado National Forest
April 2, 1920: "For the first time in the history of the Coronado national forest, a woman has been appointed as fire lookout of one of the important mountain stations. Mrs. Lyle B. Smith, wife of the district ranger in charge of the Rincons, has applied for the post and received the appointment. She is expected to move to Spud Rock early in May.
Mrs. Smith will have a big advantage over the bachelor lookout in that she can cook her own food in good style. One of the main disadvantages of the average lookout's life is that he has to cook his own food and it is usually poorly done. Mr. Wilson said that he believes the question of food one of the underlying reasons why women lookouts have been great successes in the few places where they have been tried." (The Coconino Sun)
Mrs. Smith will have a big advantage over the bachelor lookout in that she can cook her own food in good style. One of the main disadvantages of the average lookout's life is that he has to cook his own food and it is usually poorly done. Mr. Wilson said that he believes the question of food one of the underlying reasons why women lookouts have been great successes in the few places where they have been tried." (The Coconino Sun)
April 3, 1920: "For the first time in the history of the Coronado national forest, a woman has been appointed as fire lookout of one of the important mountain stations. Mrs. Lyle B. Smith, wife of the district ranger in charge of the Rincons has applied for the post and received the appointment.--Prospector." (The Border Vidette)
May 4, 1920: "Mrs. L.B. Smith, first woman lookout to be appointed in the Coronado national forest, left yesterday for St. Paul to attend the funeral of her mother, Mrs. Emma Murphy. Mrs. Smith will return to Arizona in a few days to take up her new duties as lookout." (Arizona Daily Star)
November 21, 1920: "On the Rincon mountains, a part of the Coronado Forest in southern Arizona, the high Spud Rock lookout point was 'manned' during the fire season by Mrs. Lyle B. Smith, wife of the local forest ranger. Mrs. Smith, in addition to her lookout duties, cleaned, and brushed out a number of miles of trail in the vicinity of her tower. She had occasion late one night during the season to make a search of ten miles, with a fire guard and tools across the mountains for a reported fire." (Tombstone Epitaph)
November 21, 1920: "On the Rincon mountains, a part of the Coronado Forest in southern Arizona, the high Spud Rock lookout point was 'manned' during the fire season by Mrs. Lyle B. Smith, wife of the local forest ranger. Mrs. Smith, in addition to her lookout duties, cleaned, and brushed out a number of miles of trail in the vicinity of her tower. She had occasion late one night during the season to make a search of ten miles, with a fire guard and tools across the mountains for a reported fire." (Tombstone Epitaph)