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Maine History Online

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Looking Out: Maine's Fire Towers

Item 10 of 34
Fire Warden, Ripogenus, 1920

Fire Warden, Ripogenus, 1920

Item 19064 info
Maine Forest Service

The watchmen went by tote team in late spring to the tower sites, usually staying until fall.

Between 1905 and 1907, the watchmen had to run down the mountain to report sightings of fires.

Starting in 1909, when the Maine Forestry District took over the towers, watchmen were equipped with battery-operated, hand-cranked telephones.