Rambling the Southland and beyond.
Lookout Towers in Alabama and Beyond.
31.824081, -87.927639
#1594 Al #105
Sandhill Lookout is located in Clarke County Al in the Scotch Management area.
It is a 100′ Tower.
It is Al #105. It was added to the NLHR May 22, 2022 as #1594. If you have any information on this video please comment on my website.
Al 146
31.947903, -87.733044
Thomasville Lookout is Located beside Al 5 North of Thomasville, Al
At the time of this video I have little other information to go on. If you have information on this tower please add to the comments or contact me directly and I will add it. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thomasville Lookout
US 97, AL 1
31°05’50.7″N 86°33’19.8″W
Located in the Conecuh National Forest just a few miles North of h Florida State line.
Open Pond Tower is located in Covington County Alabama.
It is a National Forest Service Tower in the Conecuh National Forest.
Built in 1938-39 by Company 3474 of the CCC.
It is a 100′ structure and was made by Jones & Laughlin Steel.
This tower and the Parker Springs Lookout which is also in the Conecuh National Forest are the only two wooden 12′ X 12′ towers with catwalks in the state of Alabama.
This is a very unique tower for Alabama. It is one of three towers in the very Southern part of Alabama that have larger cabs and side entrances rather than the bottom entrances that the vast majority of those scattered through out the state have.
This tower went through a renovation approximately 2007. It was repainted and the wood steps and cat walk were replaced as well as the shingle roof. The map wheel was also replaced about that time.
Open Pond Tower has not been staffed since 1975.
Note the controlled burn taking place in the photo.
US 1076, AL 60
31°02’39.6″N 86°48’31.3″W
Located near the community of Bradley Al. Only a few miles north of the Florida State line.
This is a unique tower to South Alabama in the fact that it has a 12′ by 12′ cab.
Only two of these towers are still standing in Alabama the other is Open Pond which is a few miles away in the Conecuh National Forest also.
Parker Springs Lookout was built in 1937.
It is a National Forest Service Tower and it Located in the Conecuh National Forest in Escambia County Al.
US 874, AL 51
31°06’40.4″N 87°01’41.6″W
Located on Co Rd 22 (Ridge Road) Brewton, Al Escambia County
Built in 1938
This is a unique tower to lower Alabama. it is actually a double cab tower.
As described on the National Historic Registry “There is no other lookout cab like Underwood Lookout Tower in the 900+ listings on the NHLR. Constructed in 1938, the Alabama Forestry Commission builders stopped at 60′ where the sloped legs measured 14’x14′ at the top, instead of 90′ where a 7’x7′ cab would be mounted. Two 7′ wide sections of a metal cab were joined on each of the four sides creating a unique 14’x14′ cab.”
30.896009421652145, -87.15847447514533
3778 Greenwood Rd, Jay, FL 32565 (Co Rd 164)
Santa Rosa County Fl.
This tower is not on the National Historic Lookout Registry at this time.
#42 on the Alabama State listing.
31.597727, -86.991468
This tower is located a short distance from Al hwy 83 North of the Bowles Community.
I have very little other info on this tower at this time. I will update it as info is found.
Reg #’s US 850, AL 29
31.786054, -87.335826
Lookout Hill Tower was built by a junior African-American Company 4435 at CCC camp P-76 in 1939, Lookout Hill Fire Tower is a 100′ MC-39 tower with 7’x7′ cab.
Of all of the towers that I have had the privilege of of filming and documenting this one holds a special significance for me.
My Grandfather Will Knight worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission from 1933 till 1966. In the latter years that he worked he was tower man on this tower.
As a child I would often times get to come out and sit on this tower with him on Sunday afternoons. It holds many memories for me of good times with my grandfather.
The last time I got to climb this tower was in 1983. that day it was locked and I did not get to go into the cab.
In the very 1950’s and very early 1960’s there was a family that lived at the tower and manned it by the last name of Findley. To the best of my knowledge they were the last family to live in the house that was at the base of the tower.
The tower site is part of the Red Hills land management area for the Red Hills Salamander. The area referred to as The Red Hills is probably about 5 air miles to the west. The entire area is named after the color of the soil, predominantly red clay gravel. The Red Hills Salamander is a threatened species of Amphibian salamander. The salamander habitat begins in southeastern Wilcox County and ends in Western Butler County.
Quoting Mr Gary Cole “I was the last tower man at Lookout Hill. I was the Forest Ranger assigned to north Monroe County beginning in June of 1976. I manned the tower until 1982 when I became the County Forestry Supervisor. Jane Ellen Briggs was the tower person before I started. Her husband was the Forest Patrolman.”
The house at the base of the tower was torn down prior to 1976.
https://rumble.com/ve6dp5-lookout-hill-fire-tower.html
Here is a video I did of this tower in Feb of 2016.
https://rumble.com/vbktff-lookout-hill-fire-tower-and-more.html
Reg #’s US 869, AL 48
Womack Hill Tower is also known as Daniels Fire Tower on some maps.
Sits in Choctaw County Al
31°51’43.4″N 88°11’37.8″W
Womack Hill Tower was built in 1951
The Womack Hill Lookout Tower is a 100′ Aermotor MC-39 with a 7’x7′ cab.
Reg #’s US 864, AL 43
32°01’51.6″N 88°16’14.6″W
Choctaw County Al.
Butler Mountain sits atop a 428′ Elevation
Butler Mountain Lookout Tower is a 100’Aermotor MC-39 with a 7’x7′ metal cab. It was constructed in 1948.
Reg. #’s US 865, AL 44
32.123744, -88.358121
Scott Mountain Tower is located in Choctaw County Al.
This is a 120′ Aermotor MC-39 model.
It was completed in 1949.
It sits at an elevation of 504′
https://rumble.com/vcat2r-scott-mountain-tower-choctaw-county-al..html
Registry #’s US 866, AL 45
32°09’43.1″N 88°09’16.7″W
Allison Fire Tower is also known as Rudder Hill Tower
According to the National Historic Registry, “Allison Hill Lookout Tower is a 100′ International Derrick tower with a 7’x7′ cab. It was constructed in 1953 by the Allison Lumber Company as a replacement for their earlier wooden Rudder Hill Tower.”
Registry # US 1415, AL 74
Located just outside of Grove Hill Alabama at the Office of the Alabama Forestry Commission office.
31.7356560, -87.7573020
Registry # US 863, AL 42
Located near Chatom Al in Washington County
31.531052,-88.247412
Described by the National Registry, Jordan Fire Tower was built in 1935 by the CCC. It is an 100′ Aermotor MC-29 structure with a 7’x7′ cab.
If you have info on this tower please share it in the comments section.
US 851, AL 30
30.702260, -87.774990
Simerly Fire Tower was built in 1963.
It is located on Al hwy 59 South of Stapleton Al.
Thousands of people pass Simerly Tower every day traveling to and from the beaches in Southern Baldwin county al.
Simerly is the Southern most tower in Alabama.
It is a 100′ Aermotor MC-39 tower it replaced a 91′ creosote lookout tower.
If you have any info on this tower’s history please comment below.
