Creation of National Forests in Arkansas

• In the early 20th century, under President Theodore Roosevelt, the Ozark and Arkansas (now Ouachita) National Forests were created by presidential proclamation to serve as renewable resources for hardwood and recreation. During the Depression of the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was given the task of conserving Arkansas' public forest lands through reforestation and protection.
  
  

CCC Fire Towers

• By the 1930s, fire hazards from various sources threatened Arkansas' national forests.Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
  
  Fire hazards in lonely rural areas of Arkansas were historically high. Drought, hay bales ignited by bacteria, farmers burning underbrush and the lack of dependable fire protection were constant threats to the state's national forests, so CCC personnel were put to work fighting fires and erecting fire towers there during the 1930s.
  
  

Fire Tower Construction

• Fire towers of the 1930s were constructed on the ground then raised after completion. Those up to 50 feet tall would be made of wood with cable or cross bracing. Towers taller than 50 feet would be built of steel. Lookout towers with living quarters were based on five Forest Service plans. Other plans called for a simple observation cab or a patrol tower with no cab. The Forest Service provided lumber, cement and hinges and locks; contractors provided structural steel, bolts, rivets, glass and sheet metal.
  
  

Fire Towers Today

• Though 122 fire towers were built in Arkansas during the 20th century, only 48 were still standing by 2005. No fire towers are used to serve their original purposes on a regular basis today, but some are used for overnight accommodations or as observation towers at tourist attractions. Efforts at preservation have been undertaken on several towers to contextualize their stories within the history of the national forests in Arkansas.