Udell Lookout Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Udell Lookout Tower
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Forest Rd. 5207, Huron-Manistee National Forests, Wellston, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1936 |
| NRHP reference No. | 95001013 |
| Added to NRHP | August 22, 1996 |
The Udell Lookout Tower is a tall structure in the Huron–Manistee National Forests near Wellston, Michigan. Its main job was to help spot forest fires from high up. This important tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Contents
Why Was the Tower Built?
The Manistee National Forest was created in 1933. Just a few years later, in 1936, a plan was made to help control fires in the area. The Udell Lookout Tower was a big part of this plan.
It was built to give forest rangers a high place to look for smoke. This helped them find fires quickly before they could spread too much.
How Fire Spotting Changed
For many years, the Udell Tower was a very important fire lookout. But by the 1960s, things started to change. Airplanes began to fly over the forests to look for fires instead.
Because of this, many other lookout towers were no longer used. Most of them were eventually taken down or fell apart. The Udell Lookout Tower is special because it is the last one of its kind still standing in the Huron-Manistee National Forests.
What Does the Tower Look Like?
The Udell Lookout Tower is 100 feet tall, which is about as high as a ten-story building! It is made from strong, pre-made steel parts that are bolted together. The tower stands on top of a hill, giving it an even better view.
Tower Features
The base of the tower has four strong concrete supports. At the very top, there is a small, enclosed room called an observation cab. This cab is made of galvanized steel and has a wooden floor.
It has windows all around so that a person inside could see in every direction. This design helped fire spotters watch for any signs of smoke in the vast forest below.
Images for kids
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A different view of the Udell Lookout Tower.
