Big Flat Fire Tower

In 1921, an 80-foot steel tower from the Aermotor Windmill Company was built by the Pennsylvania Department of Forestry, one of 50 planned that year. Other reports say it was 60 feet tall. The tower was connected by telephone with a commercial telephone line, providing swift communication with the Forester and his assistants during a fire.

In 1942, a survey party arrived and described it as the Big Flat Lookout Tower on property owned by the state of Pennsylvania. As a four-legged steel structure 75 feet high with a glass-enclosed cab on the top and painted in alternate sections of red and gray. The cab had the numerals 40 painted in white on the sides.

In 1952, the survey party returned and said the tower is in poor repair as far as external sheeting is concerned, but the frame is intact in good condition.

In 1972, the lookout observer was Clarence Perry.
In 1973, the observer was Calvin Barnes.
In 2006 the tower was still there.
In 2021, there was a contract online for the demolition of a 60 foot high steel aremotor fire tower, a cabin, a meter box, an electric panel and concrete foundation. Work also included abandonment for electric lines, grading, topsoil, and seeding area.

Big Flat is just what it says, a huge high flat mountain in Michaux State Forest. The tower was watching over Gettysburg and had a panoramic views of the Cumberland Valley. On clear days the monuments of the Battlefield of Gettysburg came into view.

The lookout site is a road walk detour off the Appalachian Trail past several homes. There is nothing to see at the site and I believe the footings were to be removed in the demolition contract. I did not hunt around too much as I looked out of place already walking the roadway.