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Red Hill Fire Tower
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Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved. |
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TIMELINE OF RED HILL FIRE TOWER
RED HILL REPLACED A TOWER THAT OPERATED ON MT. ISRAEL FROM 1921 TO 1925. ERNEST B. DANE OFFERED TO BUILD A TOWER AND CABIN ON RED HILL IF THE STATE WOULD MAINTAIN IT. STEEL FOR THE 27 FOOT TOWER WAS PROVIDED BY NH STRUCTURAL STEEL CO. OF MANCHESTER. MR. DANE GAVE THE STATE A CHECK FOR $1,175.00 TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE TOWER, CABIN, AND TELEPHONE LINE. THIS WAS IN A LETTER DATED 1926. THE TOWER WAS BUILT IN 1927. THE FIRST WATCHMAN WAS LISTED IN 1927.
1934 A WELL WAS BLASTED INTO THE LEDGE SOUTHEAST OF THE SUMMIT.
1939 THE TOWER WAS REPORTED AS 45 FT. TALL. NO INFO ON WHEN THE ADDITIONAL 18 FEET WAS ADDED.
1972 AN ADDITIONAL 10 FEET WAS ADDED, BRINGING THE TOWER TO IT’S CURRENT HEIGHT OF 55 FT.
1981 THE STATE OF NH CLOSED THE TOWER DUE TO BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS.
1987 THE TOWN OF MOULTONBOROUGH, WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM SEVERAL OTHER TOWNS SURROUNDING THE MOUNTAIN REOPENED THE TOWER.
2000 LAKES REGION CONSERVATION TRUST PURCHASED THE LAND FROM THE DANE FAMILY. (APPROX. 1800 ACRES)
2003 ON AUGUST 5TH RED HILL TOWER WAS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL HISTORIC TOWER REGISTER.
2004 A NEW PARKING LOT WAS BUILT AND THE FIRE TOWER TRAIL HEAD WAS IMPROVED.
2006 IMPROVEMENTS TO “INDIAN CARRY TRAIL” NOW CALLED “RED HILL LOOP TRAIL” GAVE HIKERS AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FROM THE FIRE TOWER TRAILHEAD TO THE SUMMIT.
RECENT FIRE HISTORY
1984 A FIRE BURNED ON EAGLE CLIFF WHICH WAS STARTED BY CAMPERS. (UNKNOWN SIZE)
1986 A 50 ACRE FIRE BURNED OVER THE SUMMIT DESTROYING THE OUTHOUSE. CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO BE ARSON.
1988 A LARGE FOREST FIRE BURNED 316 ACRES. THIS WAS AN ARSON FIRE WITH SEVEN SEPARATE STARTS. THIS WAS THE LARGEST FIRE IN THE STATE OF NH SINCE THE 1952 MT. SHAW FIRE WHICH BURNED 2500 ACRES, ALSO IN MOULTONBOROUGH.
1990 ANOTHER LARGE FOREST FIRE WAS SET (ARSON) ON RED HILL. MULTIPLE STARTS BURNED 216 ACRES. THIS FIRE BURNED OVER THE SUMMIT TRAPPING THE WATCHMAN AND 4 HIKERS IN THE TOWER. THIS FIRE KILLED MOST OF THE TREES AROUND THE SUMMIT (ESTIMATED 10 ACRES OF DEAD TREES ON AND AROUND THE SUMMIT). THE DAMAGE FROM THIS FIRE IS STILL VERY EVIDENT TODAY.
BOTH THE 1988 & 1990 FIRES TOOK ABOUT 24 HOURS TO SURROUND AND ABOUT 3 DAYS TO EXTINGUISH “HOT SPOTS”. AT THE HEIGHT OF THE BLAZES THEY INVOLVED ABOUT 250 FIREFIGHTERS FROM CONCORD TO CONWAY. WE ALSO USED HELICOPTERS FROM A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR AND THE MAINE FOREST FIRE SERVICE FOR WATER DROPS.
Photos of Red Hill By Warden Ed Maheux
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