Page Type: | Custom Object |
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Lat/Lon: | 47.69501°N / 120.20991°W |
Object Type: | Washington Lookouts - Historical |
County: | Chelan |
Some people consider this to be an original lookout which has been moved, while many others (including CBFIC) consider this to only be a replica lookout. The original Flattop Mountain Lookout was two-story building built for the U.S. Forest Service in southwestern Washington during 1946 but abandoned during 1960. This lookout had outward-sloping windows and was the only officially used lookout structure of its kind. After the Department of Natural Resources threatened to destroy the entire building, the Forest Fire Lookout Association (FFLA) eventually took control of the lookout structure, deconstructing it and storing its components on a flatbed trailer near Rimrock, WA. The FFLA later donated the lookout components to the CBFIC, hoping to fully reconstruct the building. Unfortunately, most of the original components were damaged and/or deteriorated beyond repair. During the construction of the lookout building at CBFIC, the only original components still intact and usable were the support beams, window supports, and rafters; this allowed the work crew to rebuild the original roof dimensions and provide some support for the intended sloping windows. However, the structure changed from being a two-story building to only a one-story building. Construction began during October 2009 and was completed during Spring 2010. WHAT THE ORIGINAL LOOKOUT BUILDING LOOKED LIKE ON FLATTOP MOUNTAIN:
WHAT THE REPLICA LOOKOUT BUILDING LOOKS LIKE AT CBFIC: