CAMDENTON
Missouri Lookouts - Camden County - Missouri Conservation Commission - 38N-17W-22
1941: Forty acres were acquired by the Conservation Commission for the purpose of erecting a fire tower. (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report)
August 1, 1941: "Recently the Commission purchased 40 acres of land near Camdenton on which will be erected another fire tower. An old water tower located on Sunrise Beach, which formerly served the city of Eldon, has been bought and dismantled. The steel is being moved to the site near Camdenton where it will be used in construction of the new fire tower." (The Reveille)
October 24, 1941: "The first lookout tower is being completed by personnel of the Missouri Conservation Commission on the Lake of the Ozarks Forest Protection District at Camdenton. This steel tower was once the city water tower for Eldon and in 1930 was moved to Sunrise Beach by the Sunrise Beach Development Company. Last year the tower was purchased by the Conservation and used temporarily as a fire lookout tower at Sunrise Beach. This year it was moved to a new location three miles northwest of Camdenton and can easily be seen from the road near the airport.
The primary purpose of this tower will be fire protection and a Towerman of Lookout will be on duty in the tower continuously except during wet or rainy weather. In making observation from the tower land marks can be seen for distances of 15 to twenty miles. Consequently wildfires or forest fires can be seen for distances of 20 to 30 miles.
The tower will have communication by telephone and shortwave radio to the Kaiser Tower and the District Forester's office at Camdenton. Contact can also be made at any time with the patrol trucks by radio.
At the present time construction has been stopped due to delay in obtaining material caused by defense orders. When the tower is completed it will be open to the public and visitors will be welcome." (The Reveille)
1942: A 60-foot steel and wood tower was completed. (Report of the Missouri Conservation Commission)
1945-1946: The 'Official Manual of the State of Missouri' indicates that the towersite is owned by the Missouri Conservation Commission and is 40 acres in size.
June 28, 1946: "A dwelling is now under construction at the Commission's Camdenton tower in the Lake of the Ozarks district." (Daily Capital News)
May 27, 1948: "Persons exploring a cave northwest of Camdenton near the Lake of the Ozarks recently were astonished to see a two-inch iron pipe extending down through the roof of the cavern and reaching on through the floor.
Investigation disclosed that it was the pipe for a well sunk by the Conservation Commission to furnish water for its lookout tower in that vicinity. The well pipe was sunk a few hundred feet and by chance passed through the main chamber of the cave." (Windsor Review)
FY 1965-66: "The Camdenton tower residence kitchen received new wiring, sheetrock, insulation, cabinets, and water filter." (Missouri Department of Conservation Annual Report FY 1965-66)
FY 1969-70: "With a major overhaul of the Camdenton Tower cab and by blacktopping the parking lot and entrance driveway, this site once again is ready to handle the thousands of visitors per year." "At the Camdenton towersite, the residence received a new roof, ceramic wall tile in the bath, storm windows and a new gutter." (Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
FY1972-73: "A new heating system and well pump were installed at the Camdenton tower residence." (Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
FY1973-74: "The Camdenton residence received new heating duct work and repairs to the porch." (Missouri Department of Conservation Annual Report)
DESIGNATION - CAMDENTON LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - JD2580
STATE/COUNTY- MO/CAMDEN
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - GREEN BAY TERRACE (2017)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1947 (MEW)
THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 2-1/2 MILES NORTHWEST OF
CAMDENTON. IT IS A STEEL STRUCTURE WITH A WOODEN STAIR CASE
TO REACH THE TOP. IT IS ABOUT 70 FEET HIGH, 17 FEET SQUARE
AT THE BASE AND 65 FEET WEST OF THE CENTERLINE OF A GRAVELED
ROAD.
TO REACH THE STATION FROM THE JUNCTIONS OF U.S. HIGHWAY NO.
54 AND STATE HIGHWAY NO. 5 GO NORTHWESTERLY FOR 2.25 MILE TO
T-ROAD LEFT, TURN LEFT ON LAKE ROAD NO. 32 FOR .65 MILE TO FORK,
TAKE LEFT FORK FOR .15 MILE TO GATE ON LEFT, TURN THROUGH GATE
FOR .05 MILE TO STATION ON LEFT AS DESCRIBED.
THE POINT INTERSECTED WAS THE CENTER OF THE TOP OF THE TOWER.