Cathead Mountain 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 ...

located in the

Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...

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. It is located north of the hamlet of

Benson Benson may refer to: Animals *Benson (fish), largest common carp caught in Britain Places Geography Canada *Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Saskatchewan; rural municipality *Benson, Saskatchewan; hamlet United Kingdom * Benson, Oxfordshire ...

in Hamilton County. In 1910, a wood fire lookout tower was built on the mountain. In 1916, it was replaced with a 50-foot-tall (15 m) steel tower. The tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1988 season and was officially closed in early 1989. Later on, a tower frame was built and attached to the current tower to provide space for radio antennas.

History

In June 1910, the Forest, Fish and Game Commission built an wood tower on the mountain. At that time of

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line was laid to the summit so that the observer could report fires quicker. In 1916, the

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replaced the wood tower with a Aermotor LL25 tower. The tower was built lighter than the 1917 design and had no stairs but only a ladder up the exterior to get to climb the tower. Wood steps were added within the structure in 1918 or 1919, for easier access. In 1929, Aermotor developed a self-supporting staircase to install in the towers purchased in 1916. This staircase was purchased and installed in this tower in 1929. The tower ceased fire lookout operations at the end of the 1988 season and was officially closed in early 1989. In order to comply with

Adirondack Park Agency Adirondack may refer to: Places *Adirondack Mountains, New York, US **Adirondack Park, a protected area in the US, containing a large portion of the Adirondack Mountains * Adirondack County, New York, a proposed county in New York * Adirondack, Ne ...

policies, which prohibit the placement of any additional towers within the park, a tower frame was built and attached to the current tower to provide space for radio antennas.

References

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