TEXAS LOOKOUTS
RATCLIFF
Houston County
Texas Forest Service
Texas Forest Service
April 12, 1928: "The Texas Forest Service, in co-operation with the Southern Pine Lumber Company and the Houston County Timber Company, has just completed the erection of two steel towers for forest fire detection purposes.
Each tower is 90 feet in height, equipped with ladders and landing platforms and surmounted with a glass enclosed cabin 8 1-2 feet sq. One tower is located at Ratcliff in western Houston County and the other on Bird Mountain in southeastern Anderson County." (Alto Herald)
Each tower is 90 feet in height, equipped with ladders and landing platforms and surmounted with a glass enclosed cabin 8 1-2 feet sq. One tower is located at Ratcliff in western Houston County and the other on Bird Mountain in southeastern Anderson County." (Alto Herald)
July 1928: "Two 90-foot steel lookout towers have been completed this season by the Texas Forest Service in cooperation with the Southern Pine Lumber Co. and the Houston County Timber Co. They are located at Ratcliff, in eastern Houston County, and on Bird Mountain, in southeastern Anderson County. Each is surmounted by a glass-inclosed cabin 8 1/2 feet square." (The Forest Worker)
DESIGNATION - RATCLIFF LOOKOUT TOWER
PID - BY2745
STATE/COUNTY- TX/HOUSTON
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - RATCLIFF (1950
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1942 (FBQ)
STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 0.3 MILE NORTH OF RATCLIFF IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE CAMP. IT IS ABOUT 130
YARDS NORTH OF THE FLAG POLE AND ABOUT 40 YARDS WEST OF THE CAMP
WATER TANK.
IT IS A STANDARD TYPE STEEL LOOKOUT TOWER, IS PAINTED GRAY AND
IS ABOUT 100 FEET HIGH.
THE POINT LOCATED WAS THE APEX OF THE PYRAMIDAL ROOF OF THE TOWER.