Bigelow Mountain Lookout Maine

Bigelow is one of the original three lookouts to be developed in 1905 in Maine. The other two were Squaw Mountain and Mount Attean. Squaw has the distinction as being the first continuously manned lookout in the United States.

In 1905, this mountain was set up with a phone observatory station, a joint effort by private timber owners and the State Forestry Department, built by M.G. Shaw Lumber. The chief fire warden of that district is Mr. E.P. Viles of Skowhegan. The Bigelow observer reported 11 fires in his district in 1905, all of which were speedily controlled. With the help of powerful glasses, the vast overlook of territory covered 200,000 acres of timber and farming land.

In 1917, a steel tower 38 feet high was erected on the mountain.

In 1920, the inventory said it was a 16-foot tower.

A 1925 article mentions that the tower on Bigelow had been previously blown over several years back, which may account for the different heights between 1917 and 1920.

In 1949, Aubrey Bishop, 40, of Madrid, the fire warden at the lookout tower on Mt. Bigelow in the fire region died of a heart attack. It was believed the attack was induced by his exertions in connection with the fires.

In 1962, nine tons of material required for a new fire tower were airlifted from the mountain base. Sometimes the helicopter could make only a single trip each week due to fog, clouds and bad weather. But it was accomplished.

In 1972, the lookout was used for the last time.

In 2011, the lookout was burned by the Maine Department of Conservation, citing vandalism and other distractions as a reason for the removal. The managers also said it was harder and harder to get someone to live at the cabin which was about a third of a mile down from the tower. That cabin is now used by Appalachian Trail hikers.

Bigelow Mountain is a long mountain with numerous summits. The highest is West Peak, a spot on many peakbagging checklists, while the historic fire lookout was on Avery Peak. Others include The Horns, Cranberry Peak and Little Bigelow Mountain. The Appalachian Trail runs the majority of the ridgeline. The mountain is named after Major Timothy Bigelow who climbed the it in 1775 for the purpose of observation.