MUDLICK MOUNTAIN
Missouri Lookouts - Wayne County - Sam A. Baker State Park - Missouri Conservation Commission - 30N-5E-20
July 4, 1935: "A giant sentinel 'standing guard' is how Emmitt T. Reid, project superintendent at Sam A. Baker State Park, Wayne county, describes the great steel fire tower located on one of the highest points in the park to provide a place for rangers to keep a watchful eye on the beauties of the state park and report, and have extinguished quickly, fires which otherwise might destroy the shelter for the White Tail Deer and other game which roams the fastness of the mountains. The tower is located on the high point of Mudlick Mountain, which, plus the 80 feet height of the tower places the cab 1303 feet above sea level." (Gasconade County Republican)
No date: 85-foot steel tower. (Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
October 27, 1938: "The ranger in the Conservation Commission's fire lookout tower at Sam A. Baker Forest in Wayne County reports that during the past week smoke from fires outside the park area has been so dense that from his 85 foot vantage point he is barely able to see as far as the boundaries of the state land." (The Bland Courier)
1939-1941: 85-foot steel tower. (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report 1939-41)
1947-1948: The 'Official Manual of the State of Missouri' indicates that the towersite is owned by the Missouri Conservation Commission and is located in the Sam Baker State Park.
January 10, 1958: "Heard a particularly sad story a few days ago. It concerned a fire which burned eight acres of a Wayne County farm.
Foresters reported that the towerman at Mudlick tower near Piedmont discovered the fire. It took two hours to bring it under control after it had swept over a good portion of land owned by Vance Bradley, a residing farmer.
The cause was not difficult to find, they reported. The blaze started from a den tree which apparently had been fired by squirrel hunters. The squirrel season closed November 30. The fire had 'fingered out' from the den tree, but had gone out in several places before caught and spread.
The greedy hunters didn't even get their game. Two squirrels were found burned in the den tree." (Jefferson City Post-Tribune)
FY1972-73: "Several loads of clay were spread on the road and then the road was reshaped at Mudlick tower." (Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
DESIGNATION - MUDLICK LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - HC0991
STATE/COUNTY- MO/WAYNE
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - BRUNOT (1980)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1963 (VBM)
THE STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE BASE OF THE TOWER. IT IS A 4
LEGGED STEEL STRUCTURE WITH AN ENCLOSED OBSERVING ROOM AT THE
TOP. THE OVERALL HEIGHT OF THE STRUCTURE IS ABOUT 100 FEET.
IT IS LOCATED ON THE TOP OF MUDLICK MOUNTAIN IN THE SAM A. BAKER
STATE PARK AND IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE STATE PARK AND FOREST
SERVICE.