History of Massachusetts’ Fire Towers atop the highest point in Massachusetts, Mt. Greylock. Of course not all of these lookouts were towers, Princeton and Holyoke were in The year is 1888, and for the last few years observation rooms atop mtn. hotels, Milton was the southeastern area of Massachusetts had at the weather observatory, and Adams was in a been having a bad problem with forest fires. A tower adjacent to a mountain hotel. meeting of local municipal officials and experts in the forestry field was called to address the Over the next 3 years 22 new fire lookouts ongoing problem. It was decided that the best were established across Mass. All but one were solution to the fire problem was a quicker built of Iron, the single remaining was built of response by firefighters and that could only be wood. This brought the state total to 26 stations. done if the fires were reported sooner. This was In 1914 the state foresters annual report to be done by a new idea of having a person stated, Owing to the large number of people watching for fires from a high vantage point and visiting our observation stations it has been then report on where the fires were. Since the found advisable, from an educational standpoint, Join in for the search for Fire Towers local area was devoid of any high locations, it to provide better means for reaching the during your riding season journeys. No was decided that "fire lookout towers" needed to observation rooms, so that they may be made be built and that these towers should overlook accessible to women and elderly people. From matter where you live and ride, you can each other in order to get as best a location of reports received from our observers it is search out fire towers earn a Red Knights the fires as possible. surprising to note that we have had nearly 3,000 Fire Tower Quest pin. In the winter of 1888 and spring of 1889 two people visit our towers this past season, towers were to be built, one in the town of representing nearly every state in the union and many foreign countries. Out riding by yourself? Riding a few Duxbury and one in the town of Plymouth. It buddies or with the group? See a was a great success, and the states of Maine, In 1915 the adjacent states were New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and approached by Massachusetts with a proposal fire tower? Stop and get a picture the federal government all sent representatives to jointly fund the construction and operation of with you and/or your bike with the to study this new concept. 4 lookout towers along their joint borders. The fire tower and document the when In these early days of fire detection a first station being built in the town of and where on the official Quest conclusion was reached that Fire towers needed Williamstown, the 2nd being built in the town of application and you can be one of to be no more than 20 miles apart from each Lenox, the 3rd built in the town of Mount Washington, MA. and the 4th was on Mt. the Red Knights to receive this pin. other and that each tower would be as a spoke on a wheel but also be it's own hub . This was Watatic in the town of Ashby. so every part of the state would be seen by at By 1925 there had been 61 fire lookout To receive a pin you must visit and least 2 towers if not more, making triangulation towers built across Massachusetts. Of that document six fire towers. of the fires location much easier, thus increasing number only 44 were in operation due to older response time by firefighters to the fires and lower sites being replaced by better ones and by decreasing their size. the beginning of the 1930 fire season another 9 At the beginning of 1911 there were already fire towers had been added to the states fire detection network, bring the total up to 53 8 permanent state run fire watch lookout stations in operation. These first lookout stations operational stations. were in, Plymouth atop Billington Hill, Princeton atop Mt. Wachusett, Shelburne atop Mt. Massaemet, Milton atop Great Blue hill, Sponsored by Massachusetts Chapter 2 Chelmsford atop Robbin hill, Westboro atop Fat of the RKMC Mtn., Holyoke atop Mt. Holyoke and in Adams Massachusetts Fire Towers: Red Knights Massachusetts Chapter 2

Acushnet - Mendall Hill North Attleboro - Sunrise Fire Tower Quest Hill Agawam - Provin Mountain Norwell - Judges Hill Submit this application with pictures of you and/or your bike at six Andover - Holt Hill (6) different fire towers visited with $10 per person participating, Barnstable - Clay Hill Oxford - Goat Hill and receive a Fire Tower Quest commemorative pin. Bourne - Signal Hill Pelham - Mount Lincoln (Group photos are encouraged!) Brewster - Deer Park Hill Petersham - Soapstone Hill Phillipston - Prospect Hill Make checks payable RKMC Mass. Chapter 2 Brimfield - Steerage Rock Plymouth - Pine Hill Carver - Bare Hill Charlton - Little Mugget Princeton - Wachusett Name: ______Email: ______Hill Mountain Rehoboth - Long Hill Chelmsford - Robbin Hill Address: ______Telephone: ______Sandwich - Telegraph Hill Chester - Holcomb Hill Savoy - Borden Mountain Town: ______State: ______Zip Code: ______Dennis - Signal Hill Dover - Snow Hill Sharon - Moose Hill Shelburne - Mount Fall River - Copicut Hill Name and Location of Tower Date of Visit Massaemett Falmouth - Howlands Park Sudbury - Nobscott Hill (1) Hill Sunderland - Mount Toby Georgetown - Balplate Hill (2) Goshen - Moores Hill Waltham - Prospect Hill Groton - Gibbet Hill Wareham - Tempest Knob (3) Hancock - Brodie Mountain Warwick - Mount Grace Welfleet - At Brownies (4) Hanson - Bonney Hill West Brookfield - Ragged Harvard - Prospect Hill Hill (5) Kingston - Monks Hill West Tisbury - Indian Hill Lenox - Lenox Mountain (6) Westborough - Fay Ludlow - Minechoag Mountain Mountain Westwood - Grossman Lynn - Burrill Hill Camp Hill Red Knights Chapter: ______(Or other motorcycle club) Manchester - Morse Hill Mail completed application, check, AND pictures of you and/or your bike at each of the fire towers to: Mendon - Chestnut Hill Middleboro - Barden Hill Red Knights—Mass. Chapter 2 Middleboro - Top of Town Attn: Robert Laford | P.O. Box 221 | Petersham, MA 01366 Hall You may also submit your application and pictures electronically to [email protected] Milton - Great Blue Hill Monterey - Mount Wilcox Fire towers can be visited anywhere not just in Massachusetts.