Alma Hill is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

in the

Southern Tier The Southern Tier is a geographic subregion of the broader Upstate New York region of New York State, consisting of counties west of the Catskill Mountains in Delaware County and geographically situated along or very near the northern border ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. It is located southwest of Wellsville in Allegany County. In 1950, an steel fire lookout tower was built on the mountain. Due to the increased use of aerial detection, the tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1971 fire lookout season. In 1973, the tower was sold to the landowner where the tower stood.

History

In 1950, the Conservation Department built an Aermotor LS40 steel fire lookout tower on the mountain. In addition to the tower, a 1941 model observer cabin was constructed at the same time. This tower, like many in the

, was added to protect large holdings of state forest lands, and not to be part of the close-knit system of towers in the Adirondacks and Catskills. Due to the increased use of aerial detection, the tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1971 fire lookout season. In 1973, the tower was offered for sale at a public auction, with the high bidder being the landowner where the tower stood. This tower is one of the few remaining towers in New York to bear a manufacturer tag located on one of the legs that reads "Aermotor Co.—Chicago Ill".

References

{{Fire lookout towers in New York Mountains of Allegany County, New York Mountains of New York (state)