National Register of Historic Places

Red Hill Fire Observation Station

Denning, Ulster County, New York
Listed
September 22, 2001
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
01001030

About this property

The Red Hill Fire Observation Station consists of a fire lookout tower, cabin and pit privy located on the summit of Red Hill, a 2,990-foot (910 m) Catskill Mountain peak in Denning, New York, United States. It is the southernmost fire tower in the Catskill Park. One of the last state towers built, in 1920, it filled a missing link in the Catskills' forest fire detection network. Except for a few brief periods of closure, observers working for the state conservation agencies staffed the tower through 1990, making it the last fire tower closed in the Catskills. The abandoned tower and its views of the region remained a popular destination for local hikers, and it was slated to be torn down in accordance with state policy prohibiting nonessential structures on Forest Preserve land. Preservationists and forest historians campaigned to save and restore it and four other Catskill fire towers, and in the early 21st century they were listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Red Hill's observer's cabin, included as part of the listing, is one of the oldest such buildings in New York. A short trail was constructed to provide access to hikers, since the road used by the observers was later closed by the private landowner. Hikers continue to climb the peak and tower for its views of the Catskill High Peaks to the north.

Location

Denning, Ulster County, New York
41.92366, -74.51736

Categories

ENGINEERINGENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONCONSERVATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Greenfield Preparative Meeting House
Industrial
5 mi
C. Burton Hotel
Industrial
5.2 mi
Grahamsville Historic District
Listed
5.4 mi
Levitz Family Farm
Industrial
8.7 mi
Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Observation Station (Additional Documentation)
Industrial
9.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Red Hill Fire Observation Station listed on the National Register?

Red Hill Fire Observation Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 22, 2001.

What type of historic resource is Red Hill Fire Observation Station?

Red Hill Fire Observation Station is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Red Hill Fire Observation Station?

The period of significance for Red Hill Fire Observation Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Red Hill Fire Observation Station?

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