STEVENS COUNTY
CALISPELL PEAK
Stevens County TPA / Colville National Forest
34N-42E-21
34N-42E-21
April 19, 1919: "Fire Warden John Welty states that the federal forest service, in conjunction with the state fire warden's department, contemplates establishing a fire lookout on Calispell peak, southeast of Colville. This peak is 6905 feet in height, and commands a view of the entire forested territory of Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. The requirement is made that some telephone connection be established with present systems, and Mr. Welty is looking into the matter of connecting with the Colville line to the Pend Oreille lakes, or with the line northeast from Chewelah, either one of which runs about 6 miles from the peak. The state and federal departments require cooperation from the settlers, mill men and timber owners. The timber owners of Pend Oreille county organized last summer, and have made arrangements to make a daily patrol over the timber of that county. It is now considered cheaper to prevent fires than to fight them." (The Colville Examiner)
1920: "A lookout was established in 1920 on Calispel Peak, which is located near the boundary between Pend Oreille and Stevens counties. A telephone line was erected from the lookout station to Locke, where it connects with county telephone system. On account of shortage of funds, a building was not constructed, but this lookout gave efficient service. The peak has an elevation of over 6,000 feet and affords a view overlooking a large area of both counties. It is planned to erect a lookout building on this peak next season, and also a telephone line connecting it with either Chewelah or Colville.
Too much reliance should not be placed on the lookout as a means of reporting fires, as they are frequently enveloped in smoke during critical fire periods, and, besides, more depends upon the alertness and diligence of the watchman than upon the commanding view of the station and, furthermore, the greatest problem is the extinguishing of fires rather than detecting them." (1919-20 Annual Report of the Washington State Forester)
July 6, 1920: "The Eastern Washington Timber Protective association has completed its first telephone line to a mountain top for lookout purposes, and large portions of Stevens and Pend Oreille are protected thereby, according to C.H. Fancher, prominent in forest fire protection work here. Fred A. Shore of the Ohio Match company is president of the association.
The new lookout station is located on the peak of Kalispell mountain, and the telephone line is 15 miles long, connecting with the line which runs along the Pend Oreille river." (Spokane Chronicle)
September 16, 1922: "Personnel of fire forces: Harold Horton, lookout at Calispel peak." (Spokane Chronicle)
October 27, 1923: “During the early part of the season, a telephone line was constructed from the end of the Chewelah creek telephone line to the Calispell lookout station, a distance of 14 miles. This enabled direct communication with Stevens county and saved a great deal of delay in reporting fires. A system of switches was also placed in the Calispell station, giving direct telephone communication from Chewelah and Locke.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 10, 1926: "The middle district has its lookout on Calispel peak, the highest point in the county, with Robert C. Stegner as lookout." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
June 10, 1926: "Fire Warden Linder with a crew of men has just completed putting in a phone line from Calispel peak lookout to the office at Usk." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
June 19, 1926: “Three lookouts are stationed in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, one on Granite Peak, one on Kalispel peak, and one on Blue Grouse mountain.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 19, 1926: “Three lookouts are stationed in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties, one on Granite Peak, one on Kalispel peak, and one on Blue Grouse mountain.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 19, 1926: “A desire for a higher place in life motivated Stanley Cory and Cecil Waldbeser to ascend the lofty heights of Kalispel peak last Sunday. Starting from Colville at four 'clock in the morning, the men drove to Chewelah and up Chewelah creek to the foot of the mountain as far as the road would permit. They packed up the mountain, reaching the peak in a little more than four hours climbing.
They visited at the lookout station with Robert Stagner, lookout, who was moving into his quarters for the summer, and remained on the peak over night, returning to Colville Monday morning. The descent to the car was made in an hour and a half.” (The Colville Examiner)
June 19, 1930: “Lookouts go to their stations today. Miss Ruth Downey of Okanogan county, will be on guard on Calispell peak.” (The Newport Miner)
June 19, 1930: “Lookouts go to their stations today. Miss Ruth Downey of Okanogan county, will be on guard on Calispell peak.” (The Newport Miner)
June 29, 1933: “Company 1271, C.C.C. In command of Major M.B. Navas is established on Tacoma creek.
Their first work will be building of a better trail to the state fire lookout on Calispell peak, to followed by other trail and road work.” (The Newport Miner)
June 29, 1933: “Company 1271, C.C.C. In command of Major M.B. Navas is established on Tacoma creek.
Their first work will be building of a better trail to the state fire lookout on Calispell peak, to followed by other trail and road work.” (The Newport Miner)
September 8, 1934: “Donald Lawson of Stranger lookout and Bill Crosset of Calispel lookout were on fire patrol duty the past days as it has been so smoky that they were unable to see anything from their stations.” (The Colville Examiner)
September 8, 1934: “Donald Lawson of Stranger lookout and Bill Crosset of Calispel lookout were on fire patrol duty the past days as it has been so smoky that they were unable to see anything from their stations.” (The Colville Examiner)
September 8, 1938: “The brothers, Elmer and George Davis, who have spent the summer at the lookout on Calispell, gave up their work Saturday to make preparations for their return to Washington State College at Pullman.” (The Newport Miner)
September 8, 1938: “The brothers, Elmer and George Davis, who have spent the summer at the lookout on Calispell, gave up their work Saturday to make preparations for their return to Washington State College at Pullman.” (The Newport Miner)
August 12, 1939: "Timber mountain and Calispell mountain both can be reached by car travel. These two points are located on the divide line between the Colville district and the Newport district. To travel to either of these from Colville, one takes the Tiger road to the Olsen county road, then to Tacoma creek where signs guide the traveler to the lookout points.” (The Colville Examiner)
August 12, 1939: "Timber mountain and Calispell mountain both can be reached by car travel. These two points are located on the divide line between the Colville district and the Newport district. To travel to either of these from Colville, one takes the Tiger road to the Olsen county road, then to Tacoma creek where signs guide the traveler to the lookout points.” (The Colville Examiner)
1955: Removed
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National Geodetic Survey |
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DESIGNATION - CALISPELL
PID - TO0829
STATE/COUNTY- WA/STEVENS
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - CALISPELL PEAK (1992)
STATION RECOVERY (1933)
RECOVERY NOTE BY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1933 (FGJ)
ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF A PROMINENT PEAK KNOWN LOCALLY AS CALISPELL
PEAK, JUST NORTHEAST OF A LOOKOUT HOUSE MAINTAINED BY THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON. STATION IS A U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STANDARD DISK
IN OUTCROPPING BEDROCK.
TO REACH FROM THE MAIN TRAVELED HIGHWAY AT LOCKE, WASHINGTON, GO
SOUTH TO THE FIRST GRAVELED ROAD IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION (RIGHT),
GO 6.5 MILES, TURN LEFT AND GO 1.6 MILES, TURN LEFT AND GO 2.4
MILES, AT THIS POINT CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD OVER CREEK BRIDGE AND
GO 0.3 MILE TO THE END OF TRUCK TRAVEL. A WELL-CARED-FOR TRAIL,
MAINTAINED BY THE STATE LEADS FROM HERE TO THE STATION. A PACK
TRAIN CAN REACH THE STATION IN 2-1/2 HOURS.
