Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain Fire Observation Station
Why it's listed
Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain's 2,170-foot summit in Chesterfield, Essex County, carries a fire observation station that served the New York State Forest Preserve. The station centers on a 40-foot steel tower prefabricated by the Aermotor Corporation and erected in 1917, with a glass cab atop an angular steel frame and steel stairs in five flights. Also included are a jeep trail climbing from the base of the mountain, a spring box and the rubble foundation and chimney of an observer's cabin, possibly rebuilt with CCC help in 1936. A station was established here in 1912, and in 1920 it received an experimental Osborne Fire Finder. The station was deactivated in 1988. After a 1995 plan to remove the tower, a local friends group helped save it, and repairs have included new wooden stair treads. The site was recognized for its link to forest fire protection and its representative tower design, with significance from 1917 to 1950.
Significance in brief: The nomination finds the station significant under criteria A and C for its association with the New York State Forest Preserve and as a representative early twentieth century fire tower with associated structures. The steel tower was prefabricated by Aermotor and was among the first of the heavier type with integral steel stairs. The cabin was most likely upgraded by the CCC in 1936.
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 01001034, listed September 23, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain, Chesterfield |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | September 23, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001034 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1917-1950 |
| Architect / builder | Aermotor Corporation (tower manufacturer) |
| Architectural style | No style/utilitarian (fire tower) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Entertainment/Recreation, Conservation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Station deactivated in 1988; tower intact and undergoing repair; observer's cabin abandoned; trails in active recreational use. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Coordinates | 44.38790, -73.50761 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 01001034.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7208573
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.