MINNESOTA LOOKOUTS

PEQUOT

Crow Wing County
Department of Natural Resources
136N-29W-11
September 23, 1927:   "Men have been secured for manning the lookout towers, and will be placed on duty as soon as weather conditions require.  Aside from the steel tower on Ahrens Hill, north of town, a tower is to be erected, in a few days, on a high point just east of Pequot, which will give a very good triangulation with the Ahrens Hill tower for the location of fires.  Several old towers in the district which were erected a few years ago, and which do not afford the vision required, will not be manned this fall, but will probably be taken down."   (The Brainerd Daily Dispatch)

October 29, 1927:   "For further protection of Minnesota's standing timber in this section of the Northwest the State Forestry Department has authorized the construction of an 80 feet lookout tower on Section 11 about one half mile east of Pequot.
      Construction on the new tower has already started.  The tower will have a glass enclosed cage at the top for the convenience of the forestry conservation employees.  The tower is being built of steel with concrete foundation.  It is expected that the work will be completed this fall.
      Crow Wing county has already one lookout tower at Ahren's Hill.  This tower is 40 feet high."   (The Brainerd Daily Dispatch)
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​April 10, 1928:   "A tower man will be stationed on Ahrens Hill within a few days and another at the Pequot tower as soon as tower is completed, for locating fires."   (The Brainerd Daily Dispatch)

December 29, 1928:   "Permanent improvements for the year listed in Mr. Rhodes' annual report for this district follow:  An 80 foot tower was placed on a hill east Pequot."   (The Brainerd Daily Dispatch)

1935:   The Civilian Conservation Corps completed a 100-foot steel tower.

​July 18, 1965:   "Vandals carried four boulders up a fire tower and dropped them 127 feet through the roof of a ranger office below.  The Crow Wing County sheriff's office reported Thursday.  No one was in the office at the time."   (Winona Daily News)

June 2011:  The tower was closed to public access when determined to be unsafe.

August 30, 2012:  A published account states that repairs have been made to the tower and it has been deemed safe once again for public use.  Other related projects are to be completed by volunteers in the future.

October 2018:   The tower and the 40 acre site sold to the County for one dollar.