WHATCOM MOUNTAIN
Whatcom County - State Division of Forestry - 37N-3E-13
1930: "The tower on Whatcom Mountain is 87 feet in height, and the bents were constructed and braced on the ground and then raised. The tractor, a Caterpillar Fifteen, had ample power and at no time did it balk but pulled its given load to the full." + " The biggest effort was in connection with the Whatcom Lookout. This County does not lend itself readily to the development of a perfect lookout system, owing to its parallel system of mountain ranges. The site finally selected gives a satisfactory outlook and ties in well with the Skagit Lookout. Because of topography, it was a high tower, being 80 feet from ground level to floor and 89 feet over all. The bents were erected from single trees having 20-inch butts and six-inch tops. These were cut within half a mile of the site and skidded into place. The crew was the Whatcom and Skagit County fire patrol crews, which did all the framing and erecting. Considering the work was done with what material was at hand,and the difficulties of transportation, a very splendid job was done.
It was felt that the hill was somewhat inaccessible to the public, owing to the steepness of the approach, and therefore a single ladder was secured to the framing as a means of ascent. One leg of this ladder forms the door jamb; a sliding door, some three feet high, forms the means of ingress and egress. Suitable handholds are placed on the entrance and on the floor inside as a safety measure. The Lookout chamber was formed by continuing the uprights to the desired height and a roof placed on top, windows formed and put in place. The whole was guyed with wire rope donated by Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills, while Messrs. Wood and Knight donated the site." (23rd Annual Report of the Washington Forest Fire Association)
It was felt that the hill was somewhat inaccessible to the public, owing to the steepness of the approach, and therefore a single ladder was secured to the framing as a means of ascent. One leg of this ladder forms the door jamb; a sliding door, some three feet high, forms the means of ingress and egress. Suitable handholds are placed on the entrance and on the floor inside as a safety measure. The Lookout chamber was formed by continuing the uprights to the desired height and a roof placed on top, windows formed and put in place. The whole was guyed with wire rope donated by Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills, while Messrs. Wood and Knight donated the site." (23rd Annual Report of the Washington Forest Fire Association)
Activated: May 21, 1942. Bellingham Filter Center
October 16, 1943: The Aircraft Warning Station "Yoke 0-8" was inactivated. The station used existing facilities owned by the state. A 12 by 20 garage was erected using AWS funds. The site was retained by the State of Washington for continued use as a fire detection observation post. (Report of Aircraft Warning Service, May 1, 1944)
Removed
DESIGNATION - WHATCOM
PID - TR0981
STATE/COUNTY- WA/WHATCOM
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - LAKE WHATCOM (1994)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1926 (PCD)
STATION IS ON THE NORTHERN END OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, WHICH LIES
BETWEEN LAKE SAMISH AND LAKE WHATCOM ABOUT 6 MILES FROM BELLINGHAM,
WASHINGTON. STATION IS ON BARE ROCKY HILL. THE MARK IS ON THE
SAME LARGE SANDSTONE ROCK AS THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STATION OF
THE SAME NAME AND THE U.S.C. AND G.S. MARK IS ABOUT 7 INCHES SE
OF THE G.S. TABLET.
THE STATION IS 7 MILES SE OF BELLINGHAM ON THE HIGHEST POINT
OF THE N PEAK OF LOOKOUT OR WHATCOM MOUNTAIN WHICH LIES BETWEEN
WHATCOM AND SAMISH LAKES. ANOTHER PEAK, APPROXIMATELY THE SAME
HEIGHT LIES 1 MILE TO THE SE BY S.