Welcome to the ...

Beebe Hill Fire Tower

Beebe Hill Logo ...

Austerlitz, NY -- The forest fire observatory on Beebe Hill operated continuously from April of 1964 until
the end of the 1987 fire season. Prior to 1964 the fire tower was located on the summit of Alander Mountain
from 1928 through 1930 and on Washburn Mountain from 1933 until November 1963.

Ten years after the closing of the facility, individuals came together to restore the fire tower and observer's
cabin so that the public could safely continue to enjoy Beebe Hill for years to come. This group was made up
of local residents, NYS-DEC Foresters, NYS-DEC Forest Rangers and members of the Forest Fire Lookout
Association.

During this period the exterior of the cabin was fully restored with a new roof and rustic siding. The fire tower
steps and flooring were replaced and the old broken window frames were removed. This group also created
the hiking trail system throughout the Beebe Hill State Forest that so many people enjoy today.

 

Beebe Hill Fire Tower flyover 4-18-09 by Bill Starr (click on photo to enlarge)
tower flyover photo tower flyover photo tower flyover photo tower flyover photo tower flyover photo


Stripping the old siding from the cabin (1998) New cabin siding, awaiting stain ...
Stripping the old siding from the old cabing (1998)

By 2002 the majority of the restoration work was completed although the loosely formed group had disbanded.
With 80 percent of the work complete three years passed with no forward progress to complete the restoration,
so the Forest Fire Lookout Association stepped in and formed the Beebe Hill Chapter of the FFLA.

In 2005 The Beebe Hill Chapter entered into an "Adopt-A-Natural Resource" agreement with the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation to complete the restoration of the Beebe Hill facility.

In the spring of 2008 volunteers from Local #12 of the Iron Workers Union from Albany, N.Y. will perform work
so that the fire tower will be in compliance with the state engineer's safety requirements. Once this has been
completed the fire tower will get a fresh coat of paint and new windows placed in the tower cab.

The Chapter will also restore the cabin interior and open it to the public as a living museum with exhibits illustrating
the history on the fire tower system and forest fire control in New York State. Members of the Chapter will also have
the opportunity to staff the facility to greet visitors and answer questions. The Chapter is currently developing an
environmental education program for children.

Membership to the Beebe Hill Chapter of the FFLA is open to any person regardless of residency by filling out a
membership enrollment form. The public is welcomed to visit Beebe Hill during these final stages of restoration.

Road Map and Directions to Beebe Hill (.pdf):
Beebe Hill Trail
Map (.pdf):
Click to open Other State Forests in Columbia County

Contact Bill Starr ... and the Forest Fire Lookout Association / New York Chapter. Click here to send an email to Bill ...

Map To Beebe Hill Fire Tower:

 

 

Beebe Hill Topography Map:
Download New York State Forest Rangers 125th Anniversary(.pdf)
Download
the History
of the
Beebe
Hill
Fire
Tower
(.pdf):




Click here for Roster of the NYS Forest Fire Observers
  Click here for the Inventory of NYS Fire Towers:

History of the Beebe Hill Fire Tower ...








Click here for Lost in the Woods
compass image  

Right-click / "Save Target As" to download the " NYS Fire Tower Pictorial History" ..

 

 

Right-click / save to download the "NYS Fire Tower Pictoral History" ...

 

 

External Web Links …

External Web Links...

nature button

Click above for  Wild Orchids of New York State

NEW!  NYS FIRE TOWER CENTENNIAL
PATCHES NOW AVAILABLE

The patches are 3" X 3" and cost $8 each.

Order directly from FFLA website with PayPal:

www.firelookout.org/store.htm#patches




Click above for Weather at Beebe Hill
 
Visitors Since 06/09/08:

 

Tower
restoration
work …

(Click the thumbnail images below ...)

CLICK HERE FOR Fire Tower Steel Work ...
Click here for a news item
reporting on
Fire Tower Steel Work ...
IRON WORKERS COMMENCE RESTORATION WORK ON THE TOWER ...

RANGER CHRIS DICINTIO AND ERIC HEPPERLE BRINGING IN SUPPLIES ...

Ranger Chris DiCintio and Eric Hepperle Bringing In Supplies ...
IRONWORKERS INSTALLING SAFETY MESH BELOW THE TOWER CAB ...
IRONWORKERS INSTALLING SAFETY MESH BELOW THE TOWER CAB ...
ALBANY, NY IRONWORKERS LOCAL #12 READYING THE BEEBE HILL RESTORATION WORKSITE ...
ALBANY, NY IRONWORKERS LOCAL #12 READYING THE BEEBE HILL RESTORATION WORKSITE ...
... INSTALLING REINFORCING SECTIONS REINFORCING THE CAB UNDERSTRUCTURE ...
... INSTALLING REINFORCING SECTIONS REINFORCING THE CAB UNDERSTRUCTURE ...

BILL STARR
AND LT. DARRYL KITTLE
OVERSEE THE TOWER RESTORATION WORK ...

MARK HAUGHWOUT AND BILL STARR OVERSEE THE RESTORATION WORK …
THE PROUD TEAM!
THE PROUD TEAM!
(thanks guys)!

The Route In

(Beebe Hill State Forest) ..

The Route in (Beebe Hill State Forest DEC Sign) …

THE NARROW ROAD INTO THE PARKING AREA, ALONG ENGLE ROAD (ON A LOVELY FALL DAY) ...

THE NARROW ROAD INTO THE PARKING AREA, ALONG ENGLE ROAD (ON A LOVELY FALL DAY) ...
ON ENGLE ROAD, JUST PAST THE GATE ...
ON ENGLE ROAD, JUST PAST THE GATE ...

APPROACHING BARRETT POND ...

THE HEIGHT OF LEAF-PEEPING SEASON..

APPROACHING BARREtT POND...THE HEIGHT OF LEAF-PEEPING SEASON …
... ROUNDING BARRETT POND ...
... ROUNDING BARRETT POND ...

A LITTLE BRIDGE SHOWN AT THE NEW TRAILHEAD AT BARRETT POND ...

A LITTLE BRIDGE ALONG THE WAY ... ON THE TRAIL TO THE TOP ...
A LITTLE BRIDGE ALONG THE WAY ... ON THE TRAIL TO THE TOP ...

WELCOME TO ... THE TOP!

WELCOME TO ... THE TOP!
WELCOME TO ... THE TOP!
WELCOME TO ... THE TOP!

The Views From the Beebe Hill Fire Tower Are SPECTACULAR ...

The Views From the Beebe Hill Tower Are SPECTACULAR …
... AN EASTWARD PANORAMA, LOOKING TOWARD HARVEY MOUNTAIN ... ... AN EASTWARD PANORAMA, LOOKING TOWARD HARVEY MOUNTAIN, IN EARLY FALL ...
... A PANORAMA VIEW LOOKING NORTH ...
... A PANORAMA VIEW LOOKING NORTH ...
... AND A PANORAMA VIEW LOOKING SOUTHWEST, TOWARD THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, IN THE SPRING ... ... AND A PANORAMA VIEW LOOKING SOUTHWEST, TOWARD THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, IN THE SPRING ...

VIEW FROM THE TOWER, OF DOWNTOWN ALBANY, NY, LOOKING NORTHWEST ...

VIEW FROM THE TOWER, OF DOWNTOWN ALBANY, NY, LOOKING NORTHWEST ...
VIEW OF THE CATSKILL'S BLACKHEAD RANGE ...
VIEW OF THE CATSKILL'S BLACKHEAD RANGE ...
VIEW OF THE SOUTH TACONIC RANGE, AND MT. EVERETT ...
VIEW OF THE SOUTH TACONIC RANGE, AND MT. EVERETT ...
COLORFUL FALL VIEW FROM THE BEEBE HILL TOWER, WITH MT. GREYLOCK IN THE DISTANCE ...
COLORFUL FALL VIEW FROM THE BEEBE HILL TOWER, WITH MT. GREYLOCK IN THE DISTANCE ...

 

GAZING NORTHWEST ... ACROSS FROM THE SETTING SUN ...

 

GAZING NORTHWEST ... ACROSS FROM THE SETTING SUN ...
… AND A SUNSET VIEW FROM THE TOWER, SOUTH-SOUTHWEST …

… AND A SUNSET VIEW SOUTH-SOUTHWEST …

... WANING LIGHT LEAVES LAMBENT SHADES OF DEEP COLOR OVER THE HUDSON VALLEY ...

... WANING LIGHT LEAVES LAMBENT SHADES OF DEEP COLOR OVER THE HUDSON VALLEY ...
... AND THE SUN DISAPPEARS BEHIND THE NORTHERN CATSKILL MOUNTAINS.
... AND THE SUN DISAPPEARS BEHIND THE NORTHERN CATSKILL MOUNTAINS.
Final Views of the day ... All Photos Copyright Bill Starr, 2007.

Construction of the Summit

"Chance Of Thunder" Lean-to

Construction of the Summit "Sound Of Thunder" Lean-to …

PEELING THE LOGS ...

PEELING THE LOGS ...

ADIRONDACK LEAN-TO PLANS

(CLICK HERE TO OPEN)

PRE-CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEAN-TO ...
PRE-CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEAN-TO ...
CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEAN-TO WALLS …

CONSTRUCTION OF THE LEAN-TO WALLS …

FOUNDATION ASSEMBLY ...
FOUNDATION ASSEMBLY ...
... AND THE START OF THE ROOF CONSTRUCTION …
... AND THE START OF THE ROOF CONSTRUCTION …

VOILA! SHE IS DONE! THE SOUND OF THUNDER LEAN-TO, EARLY FALL ...

SOUND OF THUNDER LEAN-TO, EARLY FALL ...
SOUND OF THUNDER LEAN-TO, WINTER ...
... AND IN THE WINTER ...