Tower Mountain (New York)
Tower Mountain | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 2,320 feet (710 m) |
Coordinates | 42°06′34″N 75°13′34″W / 42.10944°N 75.22611°W[1] |
Geography | |
Location | ENE of Deposit, Delaware County, New York, U.S. |
Topo map | USGS Readburn |
Tower Mountain is a mountain located in the Catskill Mountains of New York state, east-northeast of Deposit in Delaware County. Speedwell Mountain is located west-southwest of Tower Mountain, Walton Mountain is located north-northeast of it, and Crane Hill is located northeast of Tower Mountain. In 1934, the Civilian Conservation Corps built what was known as the Rock Rift Fire Observation Tower on the mountain. The tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1988 season and was officially closed in early 1989. Currently, the tower is not safe to climb. The first set of steps has been removed to prevent injury. Restoration of the tower is planned by the Town of Tompkins.
History
The
New York City seized the hamlet of Rock Rift by eminent domain and evicted its inhabitants and businesses. NYC also did this in Cannonsville, Beerstown, Granton, and Rock Royal for the construction of the Cannonsville Reservoir. The water gates of the reservoir were closed in 1963 and the land on which the former homes, churches, businesses, schools stood were submerged. The reservoir was placed in service in 1965. Many of the homes and businesses of Rock Rift stood above the shoreline of the reservoir and they were also taken. Some of the roads, foundations and front stoops of the structures are still evident.[6] The tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1988 season and was officially closed in early 1989. Currently, the tower is not safe to climb. The first set of steps has been removed to prevent injury. Restoration of the tower is planned by the Town of Tompkins.[7]
References
- ^ "Tower Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
- ^ "Rock Rift Fire Tower US 1183, NY 41". National Historic Lookout Register. Forest Fire Lookout Association. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ Bill Starr (2011). "Listing of the Fire Towers Operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-28. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ "Rock Rift 1931". Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site. 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ State of New York. Conservation Department. Twenty-Fifth Annual Report for the Year 1935 (Albany: J.B. Lyon Co.), p. 118
- ^ "New York City Watershed - New York City's Need for Water". The Catskill Watershed Corporation. 2000. Archived from the original on 2021-12-04. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ "Searchable list of NY Fire Towers". nysffla.org. The New York State Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association. Retrieved December 4, 2021.