SANDERS COUNTY
MOUNT SILCOX
Lolo National Forest
22N-29W-26
22N-29W-26
December 27, 1907: “Last week Supervisor Headley and some assistants scaled the lofty peak about six or seven miles to the northeast of town and after ascending it and sizing it up from a forest service standpoint, decided to use it as one of the lookout points during the fire season. That part decided a name for the peak was the next consideration, when happily it was proposed to name it after F. A. Silcox, the first supervisor of the Cabinet reserve, who only a trifle over a month ago, was granted a furlough and left for his home in South Carolina. The name was applied and hereafter the mountain will be known by the title of Mount Silcox.
In the spring a telephone line will be built to the summit and a lookout point established. The summit affords a splendid view of the surrounding country. Supervisor Headley said that from its vantage point he could see all of the adjacent country in the Clarks Fork valley, the Plains valley and a large part of the Thompson river country.
The team lately purchased by the forest service is at work at Noxon moving supplies for the Bull river station cabin. Work on the building will commence at once and the supervisor expects some time this winter or early in the spring to begin building the telephone line up Bull river to the lookout point on Squaw peak.
With these two lookout points, one on Mount Silcox and the other on Squaw peak, two guards will have almost a complete view of the entire Cabinet national forest and fire on any part of the reserve will be quickly noticed. With telephone communication, word can be passed to the supervisor's office and prompt measures used to stamp it out.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
In the spring a telephone line will be built to the summit and a lookout point established. The summit affords a splendid view of the surrounding country. Supervisor Headley said that from its vantage point he could see all of the adjacent country in the Clarks Fork valley, the Plains valley and a large part of the Thompson river country.
The team lately purchased by the forest service is at work at Noxon moving supplies for the Bull river station cabin. Work on the building will commence at once and the supervisor expects some time this winter or early in the spring to begin building the telephone line up Bull river to the lookout point on Squaw peak.
With these two lookout points, one on Mount Silcox and the other on Squaw peak, two guards will have almost a complete view of the entire Cabinet national forest and fire on any part of the reserve will be quickly noticed. With telephone communication, word can be passed to the supervisor's office and prompt measures used to stamp it out.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
March 27, 1908: “District Ranger R. H. Bushnell began work on the trail that will lead to the top of Mount Silcox yesterday. Guards Brown and Ward are building the trail which will follow a very feasible route with a grade of not to exceed 15 per cent at any point in the entire distance. Mr. Bushnell expects to have the trail built and in good condition long before the lookout station at the top of the peak is needed.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
March 27, 1908: “District Ranger R. H. Bushnell began work on the trail that will lead to the top of Mount Silcox yesterday. Guards Brown and Ward are building the trail which will follow a very feasible route with a grade of not to exceed 15 per cent at any point in the entire distance. Mr. Bushnell expects to have the trail built and in good condition long before the lookout station at the top of the peak is needed.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
April 3, 1908: “Two men are at work on the trail to the top of Mount Silcox. They will follow the snow up on that trail and complete it early enough to pack the wire up on it for the five miles of telephone line that will connect the office with the lookout station to be established on the peak.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
April 3, 1908: “Two men are at work on the trail to the top of Mount Silcox. They will follow the snow up on that trail and complete it early enough to pack the wire up on it for the five miles of telephone line that will connect the office with the lookout station to be established on the peak.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
July 24, 1908: “The log cabin, being built on Mount Silcox by the forest service is completed with the exception of the 'shake' roof. It is a substantial structure built of logs and will be occupied during the fire season by one of the forest service men whose duty it will be to keep a sharp lookout for forest fires. The cabin and the supervisor's office will be connected by telephone and from that lofty station watch can be kept over an immense area. In case a fire is seen the watchman will notify the supervisor of its location and he can at once send a force of men to subdue it.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
July 24, 1908: “The log cabin, being built on Mount Silcox by the forest service is completed with the exception of the 'shake' roof. It is a substantial structure built of logs and will be occupied during the fire season by one of the forest service men whose duty it will be to keep a sharp lookout for forest fires. The cabin and the supervisor's office will be connected by telephone and from that lofty station watch can be kept over an immense area. In case a fire is seen the watchman will notify the supervisor of its location and he can at once send a force of men to subdue it.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
August 6, 1909: “W. J. Lubkin, official photographer for the forest and reclamation service, arrived here Monday from the district headquarters at Missoula. Mr. Lubkin will take pictures of the lookout peaks and the improvements on the forest besides other views of interest in the forest work. He went to the top of Mt. Silcox on Tuesday loaded down with paraphernalia.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
August 6, 1909: “W. J. Lubkin, official photographer for the forest and reclamation service, arrived here Monday from the district headquarters at Missoula. Mr. Lubkin will take pictures of the lookout peaks and the improvements on the forest besides other views of interest in the forest work. He went to the top of Mt. Silcox on Tuesday loaded down with paraphernalia.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
July 26, 1914: "District Forester F.A. Silcox and Assistant District Forester Preston returned home yesterday. They made this trip in Mr. Silcox's automobile to Thompson Falls and up Prospect creek, the roads in several places being almost impassable. Up Prospect creek they built their first test fires - a smudge of smoke to attract the attention of the lookouts, the forestry officials sitting by to see how long before someone appeared to put out the supposed blaze.
A good base fire is first built, and after it is well started it is covered with rotten wood and wet brush from balsam or Douglas fir trees. This makes a large volume of smoke which can be seen at a considerable distance, if it does not scatter. The test fire was continued from 9 a.m. on July 28 to about 12:30 p.m. On account of weather conditions the smoke drifted very badly. An unusually large volume of smoke was started at 11:15 a.m., and at 12:15 p.m. The lookout on Mt. Silcox reported a small smoke at this point on Prospect creek at 12:30 p.m., and the motorcycle patrolman was on the ground at 1:25 p.m., showing that Mt. Silcox lookout was on the job and able to observe small smokes even when hidden behind ridges." (The Daily Missoulian)
September 25, 1914: “After spending the summer on Mt. Silcox as lookout for the local forest service, Oscar H. Moen came into town Saturday and reports that his job on the big hill is over for the summer.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
September 25, 1914: “After spending the summer on Mt. Silcox as lookout for the local forest service, Oscar H. Moen came into town Saturday and reports that his job on the big hill is over for the summer.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
July 9, 1915: “The lookout on Mount Silcox, maintained last year for locating fires, met with such good success that three new lookouts will be established this season in the Thompson river country.
Earl Nathan of Thompson Falls will be on Mount Baldly, north of Plains, H.E. Richards of Altoona, Pennsylvania, a student of the Pennsylvania state forestry school, and W.C. Homer of Detroit, Michigan, a student of the Michigan forestry school, have recently arrived in Plains and are on McGregor lake and Meadow creek peaks, where they will be stationed.
Light telephone wires are strung from the forest service lines to the temporary stations on the peaks.
It is said that more important additions will be made and more men put to work as they are needed.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
July 9, 1915: “The lookout on Mount Silcox, maintained last year for locating fires, met with such good success that three new lookouts will be established this season in the Thompson river country.
Earl Nathan of Thompson Falls will be on Mount Baldly, north of Plains, H.E. Richards of Altoona, Pennsylvania, a student of the Pennsylvania state forestry school, and W.C. Homer of Detroit, Michigan, a student of the Michigan forestry school, have recently arrived in Plains and are on McGregor lake and Meadow creek peaks, where they will be stationed.
Light telephone wires are strung from the forest service lines to the temporary stations on the peaks.
It is said that more important additions will be made and more men put to work as they are needed.” (The Sanders County Ledger)
August 29, 1918: “J.F. McKeel, who has been spending the summer as lookout at the Mt. Silcox station, came down Tuesday to cast his vote in the primary election.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
August 29, 1918: “J.F. McKeel, who has been spending the summer as lookout at the Mt. Silcox station, came down Tuesday to cast his vote in the primary election.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
September 26, 1918: “J.C. McKeel came in from Mount Silcox the first of the week after spending the summer as lookout for the forest service.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
September 26, 1918: “J.C. McKeel came in from Mount Silcox the first of the week after spending the summer as lookout for the forest service.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
July 15, 1920: “McKeel, Letts and Marksbury went to Mount Silcox Tuesday to establish the lookout for the summer.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
July 15, 1920: “McKeel, Letts and Marksbury went to Mount Silcox Tuesday to establish the lookout for the summer.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
July 15, 1920: “A small crew is constructing lightning protection on the Mount Silcox lookout cabin this week.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
July 15, 1920: “A small crew is constructing lightning protection on the Mount Silcox lookout cabin this week.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
September 18, 1925: "A new lookout house has been built on the top of Mt. Silcox to replace the old cabin and tower formerly used. The new lookout is of standard D 6 type which includes all the up to date Forest Lookout features, including a glass cupola. The building lacks but a coat of paint before being finished.
With the completion of the new lookout building Silcox will be even more popular as a destination for the hikers bent on seeing the sights.
A similar lookout has been on Mt. Headly for several years past, but as it is 10 miles further back in the mountains, few people manage to go that far." (The Helena Independent)
July 8, 1927: "Oscar Moen, who has been the lookout on Mount Silcox for several years, became ill with a hemorrhage of the lungs last week and is quite ill at the home of Mrs. McKeel. He was to have gone out to work the day he became ill." (The Helena Independent)
August 19, 1928: "E.B. Gage of Alger was in town Monday on his way home from a few days spent with his son, Henry, who is a lookout on Mt. Silcox." (The Sunday Missoulian)
April 30, 1930: “Mrs. Gertrude Green has replaced Fred Irvine in the dormitory kitchen as Fred was called to Telephone work for the forestry service preparatory to his job as lookout on Mt. Silcox, this summer.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
April 30, 1930: “Mrs. Gertrude Green has replaced Fred Irvine in the dormitory kitchen as Fred was called to Telephone work for the forestry service preparatory to his job as lookout on Mt. Silcox, this summer.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
July 9, 1930: “Fred Irvin on Mt. Silcox puts salt outside his lookout cabin for the deer. A doe, her fawn, and then later two bucks with their horns in velvet came up to lick salt, bounding away at the least noise, but at the same time quite bold. Fred says he wouldn't shoot even, though it was hunting season. He would prefer to go through the woods and give the game some chance. That's the sentiment to have.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger
July 9, 1930: “Fred Irvin on Mt. Silcox puts salt outside his lookout cabin for the deer. A doe, her fawn, and then later two bucks with their horns in velvet came up to lick salt, bounding away at the least noise, but at the same time quite bold. Fred says he wouldn't shoot even, though it was hunting season. He would prefer to go through the woods and give the game some chance. That's the sentiment to have.” (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger
June 26, 1935: "Because of visual observation mapping Mt. Silcox, the major observation peak in the district, was discontinued, and will only be used in emergencies, and Clark's Peak takes its place." (The Sanders County Independent-Ledger)
Removed
DESIGNATION - MOUNT SILCOX LOOKOUT HOUSE
PID - SU1112
STATE/COUNTY- MT/SANDERS
COUNTRY - US
USGS QUAD - MOUNT HEADLEY (1988)
STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1931
STATION LOCATED 4.0 MI. (AIRLINE) NE. OF THOMPSON FALLS, ON
HIGH RIDGE OVERLOOKING VALLEY.
TO REACH STATION FROM THOMPSON FALLS, FOLLOW ANY FOREST
SERVICE TRAIL SIGN INDICATING MT. SILCOX LOOKOUT.
STATION MARK - - CENTER OF LOOKOUT HOUSE WAS INTERSECTED.