The East Hampton Star newspaper had a photo contest a while back having people ID where exactly a fire lookout tower in a photo they published had once been located. As it turned out, Knowing fire towers no longer exist on Long Island, I researched it to see where these towers once were. No doubt some of the steel and cement bases probably still exist, even though the towers were all gone by the early 60's....................Enjoy,Bruce
Bayshore Tower
Location: Near Sweenydale Ave, east of Fifth Ave in the community of Brentwood.
Status: Removed.
The first and only structure at Bay Shore, more commonly referred to as Brentwood, was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1948. It was located on Fifth Avenue near Brentwood Road, in the community of Brentwood, at a sand pit on Department of Transportation property.
The tower was operated from 1948 until it was closed in 1959. Due to the vastly increasing population and industrial growth on Long Island, the large number of well equipped volunteer fire departments and the decreasing acres of woodlands, it was decided by the Conservation Department to curtail its forest fire control activities.
Effective September 1, 1959, the Conservation Department withdrew from active participation in forest fire control in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, thereby transferring this responsibility to the town supervisors and closing all of the active fire towers.
This structure was removed in 1960.
Camp Upton Fire Tower
Location:On what is now Brookhaven National Laboratory property 3 1/2 miles northeast of Yaphank.
Status: Removed.
The structure at Camp Upton, a United States Army installation, was a 60' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1932.
In addition to the steel tower, a wooden tower at Camp Upton was also used by the state for fire observation purposes. On the 7 1/2 minute USGS map there are two "lookout tower" notations in the vicinity of Camp Upton. The northerly site is the former location of the steel tower, while the southerly site is the location of the wooden tower that was also utilized. The concrete footers still remain at the northerly site and the former Fire Warden Larry Paul has first hand knowledge of the wooden tower as he had occasion to visit it before it was closed.
The towers were closed in 1953 and removed in 1955 or 56 by the new landowner, the Brookhaven National Laboratory, who took over the property from the US Army.
Dix Hills Fire Tower
Location: Dix Hills - South of Vanderbuilt Parkway and west of Deer Park Avenue.
Status: Removed.
Dix Hills first appeared on the table of active observation stations in 1922.
The 60' Aermotor LS40 steel tower was completed very early in the spring of 1924 by the Conservation Commission. Funds for the station were provided by an interested landowner in its the vicinity.
The construction of Bay Shore and Kings Park towers made it possible to close and remove Dix Hill in 1948. This structure was removed and was destined to be erected at a new location four miles to the west known as West Hills. These plans never materialized. In the winter of 1948-49, it was taken to Saranac Lake to be used for spare parts
Flanders Tower
Location: Flanders Hill - 3 miles southeast of Riverhead.
Status: Removed.
The structure on Flanders Hill was a 47' Aermotor tower constructed by the Conservation Commission in 1918 and was operational in 1919.
The tower was operated from 1918 until it was closed in 1959 when the Conservation Department withdrew from active participation in forest fire control activities on Long Island.
This structure was dismantled and removed in 1960 by a local demolition contractor.
Kings Park Fire Tower
Location: North of the community of Kings Park near the Meadow State Parkway interchange.
Status: Removed.
The structure at Kings Park was an 80' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1948.
The tower was operated from 1948 until it was closed in 1959 when the Conservation Department withdrew from active participation in forest fire control activities on Long Island.
The Long Island State Park Commission removed this structure in 1960. The lower 47' portion is now used as an observation platform at Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area near Buffalo. Visitors can still clearly see the words "NYSCD Kings Park LI" stenciled on some of the steel pieces.
Oakdale Fire Tower
Location:What is now Connetquot River State Park, 1/4 mile northwest of the park headquarters.
Status: Removed.
Oak Dale was a site used only temporarily in 1921. It was operated for only part of the 1921 season and reference to it appears only in the table of active fire towers but nowhere in the text or any other available documents.
However, an article in the Long Island Forum - July 1987 - entitled "The Fire Towers of Suffolk County" makes reference to a 92' tower that once existed on the South Side Sportsman's Club, now the Connetquot River State Park at Oak Dale.
The tower was used to release pheasants until a state law was passed which prohibited the practice. Some say this consisted of throwing or pushing the birds off the top of the tower so that the so-called "sportsmen" on the ground could shoot them. One has to question how sportsmanlike it is to take farm raised birds that have never flown more than a few feet and "release" them from the top of a 100 foot tower.
The tower was subsequently taken down and divided into two unequal sections. A 60' section was erected behind Wohlfarth's Gas Station on the Motor Parkway and Wheeler Road in Central Islip. A search of the archived payroll records showed that the State paid Bob Wohlfarth to operate the Central Islip Tower in April, May and June of '23 and Jack Wohlfarth for September and October of '23.
The other portion of the tower still existed in South Hauppauge as late as 1987. That portion is what is pictured here. This 20' section could be seen off an old dirt road just north of Motor Parkway about 1/4 mile east of Colonie Hill. The tower was unsafe to climb in 1980's but a good view of the northeast interior of Smithtown could be had from the base at that point in time.
Stoney Hill Tower, Amagansett
Stoney Hill Fire Tower
Location: Stoney Hill Road- 1 mile north of Amagansett
Status: Removed.
Stoney Hill Tower, commonly referred to as Amagansett, was a standard 73' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Department in 1930. Funds for the purchase of this tower were provided by the Town of East Hampton and by private subscription. This tower became operational in 1931.
The tower was closed in 1959 when the Conservation Department withdrew from active participation in forest fire control activities on Long Island.
This structure was dismantled and removed in 1960 by a local demolition contractor.
Telescope Hill Fire Tower
Location: Telescope Hill - 1 mile south of the Selden.
Status: Removed.
The structure on Telescope Hill was a 60' Aermotor LS40 tower erected by the Conservation Commission in 1918 and was operational in 1919.
As World War II began, an additional cab was constructed within the tower framework and below the original cab. No additional height was added to the tower. The original cab was used by Civil Defense observers, while the lower, newly constructed, cab was used for fire spotting.
The tower was closed in 1959 when the Conservation Department withdrew from active participation in forest fire control activities on Long Island.
This structure was dismantled and removed in 1960 by a local demolition contractor.
******************Other Non-Pictured Long Island Fire Towers**********************
Central Islip Fire Tower
Location: Behind Wohlfarth's Gas Station on the Motor Parkway and Wheeler Road in Central Islip.
Status: Removed.
According to former Fire Warden Larry Paul, the tower in Central Islip was likely the lower portion of the Oakdale tower that once stood on the South Side Sportsman's Club, now the Connetquot River State Park at Oakdale. This tower was used to release pheasants until a state law was passed which prohibited the practice. Some say this consisted of throwing the birds off the top of the tower. The Oakdale Tower was subsequently taken down and divided into two unequal sections. A 60' portion was erected behind Bob Wohlfarth's Gas Station at the intersection of the Motor Parkway and Wheeler Road.
Central Islip Tower was operated by the Conservation Commission during portions of 1922 and 23 reporting 28 fires in 1922 and 62 in 1923. A search of the archived payroll records for that period showed that the State paid Bob Wohlfarth to operate the Central Islip Tower in April, May and June of '23 and Jack Wohlfarth for September and October of '23.
While the actual ownership of the tower is unknown, it was an operating State facility for two years.
Clock Fire Observation Station
Location: Unsubstantiated reports indicate it may have been in South Huntington, on High Hill, also known as Jaynes Hill, the highest point on Long Island.
Status: Removed.
The observation station named "Clock" was only used for part of one year. There is no documentation for this site other than a brief notation in the 1920 Conservation Report to the New York State Legislature and unsubstantiated reports.
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