EMINENCE
Missouri Lookouts - Shannon County - Missouri Conservation Commission - 29N-4W-15
1938: "The Commission, in 1938, purchased steel for the erection of a 100 foot tower to be located at Eminence." (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report 7/1937 to 7/1939)
April 27, 1939: "The Forestry Section of the Missouri Conservation Commission is erecting a 100 foot fire tower on Highway 19 near Eminence. The area about the tower is being planted in short leaf pine." (Gasconade County Republican)
1939: A 100-foot steel tower erected. (Report of the Missouri Conservation Commission)
1940: 640 acres were acquired by the Conservation Commission for the use of a fire tower. (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report)
September 19, 1941: "A total of 1,360 persons climbed the Eminence tower in Shannon county last monthe." (Franklin County Tribune)
1942: Construction and development during 1942: 1 outbuilding. (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report)
March 18, 1943: "Mrs. Thomas J. Chilton, wife of a forest assistant of the Missouri Conservation Commission, has found a way to help the national defense.
The 32-year-old mother of two children has been pinch-hitting as towerman near Eminence to free her husband for firefighting duties. She climbs the 100-foot tower several times a day to scan surrounding timberlands for brush fires." (The Maryville Daily Forum)
May 18, 1944: "Mrs. Thomas J. Chilton of Eminence has just completed her second spring fire season in the capacity of a towerman in the Eminence State Forest Protection District operated by the Conservation Commission. Wife of the forest assistant in charge of the district and mother of three small boys, she climbed the 100-foot tower several times daily from February to April to keep lookout for fire outbreaks, while her husband directed the fire fighting. Although she doesn't talk about it, Mrs. Chilton hopes to contribute something toward victory by helping protect war-vital timber. She lost a cousin at Pearl Harbor; a brother was seriously wounded in the Southwest Pacific." (The Sikeston Herald)
1945-1946: The 'Official Manual of the State of Missouri' indicates that the towersite is owned by the Missouri Conservation Commission and is 640 acres in size.
FY1956-57: "An extra bedroom was added to the residence at Eminence." (Missouri Conservation Commission Annual Report FY 1956-57)
FY 1965-66: "A barn and garage were reshingled at the Eminence towersite." (Missouri Department of Conservation Annual Report FY 1965-66)
FY 1968-69: "Overhead garage doors were hung at Eminence towersite garage." (Missouri Department of Conservation Annual Report FY 1968-69)
FY1971-72: "The Eminence tower residence received new floor covering in the kitchen, bath, living room and hall and the roof was repaired." (Annual Report of the Missouri Department of Conservation)
FY1977-78: "Installation of a new roof on the residence at the Eminence Tower site." (Missouri Department of Conservation Annual Report)