{"nrhp_refnum":"01001032","name":"Mount Tremper Fire Observation Station","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Mount Tremper","address_restricted":false,"city":"Shandaken","county":"Ulster County","state":"NY","lat":41.26403643500004,"lon":-74.30967561099999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2001-09-23","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering","Entertainment/Recreation","Conservation","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A fire observation station on the 2,740-foot summit of Mt. Tremper in Shandaken, Ulster County, New York, in the Catskill Forest Preserve. It includes a 47-foot steel lookout tower erected in 1917 and a 2.5-mile jeep/hiking trail up the mountain.","why_significant":"The nomination argues significance under criteria A and C for its association with the New York State Forest Preserve and as a representative early twentieth century fire observation station with a tower and associated trail. The site was chosen because it overlooked large state-owned areas not visible from other Catskill stations. The tower is typical of the heavier steel type with integral staircases built by the Conservation Commission.","narrative":"Atop the 2,740-foot summit of Mt. Tremper in the Catskill Forest Preserve stands a 47-foot steel fire tower, erected in 1917 and prefabricated by the Aermotor Corporation. A 2.5-mile jeep and hiking trail, with culverts, swales and retaining walls, climbs to it from the base of the mountain. The tower has a square steel cab on a riveted and bolted angular frame, with steel stairs in nine flights. The state Conservation Commission selected the mountain as its eighth Catskill tower site because it overlooked state lands not visible from other stations. William Smith served as first observer, reporting six fires in 1917 and 30 in his final year, 1930, while hundreds of hikers visited him. A lightning strike damaged the tower in 1966, and the station closed in 1971 when the state turned to aircraft surveillance. The tower's roof is now rusted and some treads are missing, though the structure remains intact and awaits restoration.","period_of_significance":"1917-1950","architect_builder":"Aermotor Corporation (tower manufacturer)","architectural_style":"No Style/Utilitarian (fire tower)","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Listed as not in use; the tower roof is rusted and wind-damaged and some wood treads and landings are missing, but the structure is otherwise intact and awaiting restoration. The trails remain in active recreational use.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:50.592887-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NY/01001032.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/01001032/9687baf0ab-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/01001032/9687baf0ab-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"MDA Lamers","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Tremper_Fire_Observation_Station.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">MDA Lamers</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_Tremper_Fire_Observation_Station.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75315280","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tremper_Fire_Observation_Station","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6924192"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/new-york/ulster-county/mount-tremper-fire-observation-station-01001032/"}