ASP Firetower Committee

The Allegany State Park Fire Tower Restoration Committee was formed in the Fall of 1999 by members of the Allegany State Park Historical Society, ADK (Adirondack Mountain Club, Niagara Frontier Chapter) and interested area residents.   The tower has now been restored, thanks to volunteers and is open to the public for tours in the summer. Look at the Allegany State Park event schedule for dates and times.

In the early part of the 20th century, forest fires destroyed over a million acres of park land in New York State. As a result, towers were erected on mountain summits from which spotters could quickly locate potentially dangerous fires.

In July of 1926, the first of three 66 foot steel fire towers was erected in Allegany State Park. It is located at the summit area on the former Parker property on South Mountain at an elevation of 2,365 feet and 1,000 feet above Red House Lake. The Summit Fire Tower gave visitors a spectacular view of the surrounding area.

At the top, visitors were greeted by friendly fire wardens who proudly showed off their maps and fire locating equipment. A card was awarded to visitors which said "I climbed the 100 steps of the Allegany State Park Summit Fire Tower."

Abandoned in 1971 and replaced by aerial surveillance, only the skeletal frame of the tower remained when this project began.

At present, there is one other fire tower in the park. It is located on Mt. Tuscarora in the Quaker area and is in very poor condition. A third tower once located at Mt. Irvine in the Rice Brook area was  removed to a location near the Bradford entrance. Then in the early 1970s it was taken down by park personnel  and reassembled by an Ellicottville Boces class near their school. The school has now decided to remove the tower and we are urging that the Park reclaim and store it for spare parts.

There is a state- wide movement among Adirondack Mountain Club Chapters to preserve and renovate fire towers. Chapters across the state have been active in the restoration efforts of 10 fire towers in the Adirondacks and Catskills

Easily accessible from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Canada, and Eastern New York, the park appeals to individuals of all ages and interests. Amid the natural beauty of the area, camping, picnicking, swimming, and fishing can all be enjoyed. The many trails and the bicycle path offer opportunities for hiking, exploring and bicycling.

To provide annual resources to maintain the fire tower and surrounding area

To develop and staff an educational, interpretive program which explores the history of the fire tower and the surrounding forest

To encourage public support for the Summit Fire Tower facility.

Patches and T-shirts are available at the rental office or by mail - click on the link.