Union Lookout
Also known as: Trail of Tears Lookout; Union Tower
Why it's listed
Rising 100 feet above a wooded ridge in Trail of Tears State Forest, this galvanized-steel fire tower was put up by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934 or 1935. It has nine levels, a 16-by-16-foot footprint, and a small enclosed cab on top. Forester Conrad Fischer, assigned to Jonesboro in 1934, is credited with designing it. Together with several other towers, it supplied compass readings that let fire crews locate the origin of a wildfire on a topographic map. Foresters used it seasonally during dangerous fire conditions, and state personnel kept using it into the late 1960s. The tower is considered the only documented CCC fire tower of original height remaining in Illinois, and the last intact lookout in the Greater Shawnee region. Its setting remains remote and rural. It was listed for its connection to the CCC and to conservation efforts in southern Illinois, where worn-out farmland and repeated logging had left the forests in need of recovery.
Significance in brief: The tower is locally significant under Criterion A for its link to the Civilian Conservation Corps and to reforestation and conservation work in the Shawnee Forest region. It is described as the only documented CCC fire tower of original height left in Illinois. It was part of a network of eight towers used to pinpoint wildfires through compass cross-readings.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02001759, listed February 5, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3/4 mi. S of Jct. Co. Rd. 13 and Trail of Tears State Forest Rd., Jonesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Union County |
| Listed | February 5, 2003 |
| Reference number | 02001759 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | circa 1934-1952 |
| Architect / builder | Conrad Fischer, Forester, U.S. Forest Service |
| Architectural style | Other: steel X-brace tower |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Conservation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structural evaluation in 2000 found it in generally fair to good condition. The lowest stairs and the treads of the second flight were removed to discourage trespassing, and the cab windows are broken and the equipment gone. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 37.48064, -89.35809 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02001759.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688142
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.