Arab Mountain Fire Observation Station
Why it's listed
Atop the 2,539-foot summit of Arab Mountain in Piercefield, this fire observation station includes a 40-foot steel lookout tower erected in 1918. Prefabricated by the Aermotor Corporation, it has an enclosed glass cab and steel stairs in five flights. Nearby are a c. 1948 rustic observer's cabin, the foundation trace of the earlier cabin, a probable root cellar, a modern privy and a one-mile foot trail from the base. The station was established in 1911 as part of the state's fire observation program, and the present tower replaced an earlier wooden one. Observers such as George Lavasseur, who served from the 1930s to the 1950s, lived and worked on the summit, and the tower closed in 1988. By the early 1990s it was the only one of seven fire towers in St. Lawrence County still standing. Local citizens formed Friends of Mt. Arab in 1996, and restoration with NYSDEC began in 1998. The cabin is abandoned but the tower remains intact.
Significance in brief: The station is significant for its association with the New York State Forest Preserve and its fire observation program. It is also a representative example of an early twentieth-century fire tower with associated structures and sites. The tower is a prefabricated Aermotor LS-40 typical of the heavier steel towers the Conservation Commission erected from 1917 to 1950.
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 01001039, listed September 23, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Arab Mountain, Piercefield |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | September 23, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001039 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1918-1950 |
| 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) | Tower is intact and being repaired by NYSDEC and Friends of Mt. Arab; the observer's cabin is abandoned and in fair condition; the trail remains in recreational use. |
| Acreage | 3.7 |
| Coordinates | 44.21315, -74.59622 (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 01001039.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4783212
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.