SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
BUTLER PEAK
San Bernardino National Forest
T2N-R1W-17
T2N-R1W-17
* = New postings added March 2021
March 29, 1934: "Workers of the City Creek camp will build two lookout towers, one on Butler peak and the other on Morton peak." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
February 22, 1935: "A construction crew of the San Bernardino National forest will begin Friday on the erection of a new lookout station on top of Butler peak, just west of Big Bear lake and north of the Rim of the World boulevard, Frank A. Robinson, assistant supervisor, announced yesterday.
From that point, a lookout will command a view of Bear creek leading into the Santa Ana river and Holcomb creek. In addition, the lookout will be able to see a great deal of the forest on the north side of the summit.
Five other lookouts are proposed, Mr. Robinson said. A road has been constructed at Cajon mountain. No improvements have been made as yet for the lookouts at Sugar Loaf mountain and red Hill." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
October 31, 1935: "All phases of construction on the Butler peak lookout which, as a part of the San Bernardino national forest's lookout system, commands a complete view of Bear Valley, will be terminated this week, Robert E. Jones, acting supervisor, stated last night.
Not only will the new lookout give a full view of Bear Valley, which has been partially blind spot heretofore, but it also will enable the forest service to keep the Holcomb valley under surveillance.
Specially treated poles and specially constructed equipment went into the building of the telephone line to the station because of the unprotected sleet area through which it passes. The communication spur, which was built under the direction of Harold Butler, telephone engineer, is 1.5 miles long and ties into the main line which parallels the Rim of the World boulevard.
Telephone construction is all completed as is the three-mile road which links the station to the Green Valley-Fawnskin truck trail. The building, itself, will not be finished until Friday.
A standard 14 feet by 14 feet lookout structure has been placed on a huge rock which was blasted to furnish a level base. Because of the elevation of the peak, 8,502 feet, no tower was necessary." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
March 12, 1936: "Two new lookouts will be in operation on the San Bernardino national forest at the beginning of the summer fire season, it was announced yesterday by Robert E. Jones, assistant supervisor.
Early this winter, the Butler peak lookout, overlooking Big Bear valley from the west, was completed. Roads have been built into both posts, and telephone lines have joined then with the forest's communication system." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
June 5, 1938: "The Butler peak lookout in the San Bernardino mountains is now open, with Forest Lookout Walter Fieg in charge, it was announced yesterday by Supervisor William V. Jones.
Easily accessible by a good dirt road out of Fawnskin, in Big Bear valley, the lookout can be reached in a 45-minute drive. It affords a view of Bear valley, the desert and the snow-capped peak of Grayback. Patches of snow still remain on the north side of Butler peak and the wild flowers are just beginning to show.
Mr. Jones said that Mr. Fieg will be very pleased to point out the various and interesting scenes and mountain peaks to visitors. He will also explain the instruments used in the detection of forest fires." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
June 12, 1948: "Mr. and Mrs. Fred Thompson will handle the Butler peak lookout station, their second year at the station.
The peak, which is located 8,000 feet above sea level, covers all of the Big Bear Lake and Bear creek areas, in addition to the Holcomb creek and Deep creek areas.
Prior to moving to their present locale, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson served on Ranger peak, overlooking San Gorgonio pass.
The road to Butler peak was opened late last month by Rudolph Martinez, forest service tractor operator, who pushed out the snowdrifts and the winter's accumulation of debris." (The San Bernardino County Sun)
*May 26, 1950: "Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, who will spend the summer fire season atop Butler Peak, are Big Bear residents. Mrs. Hunter leaves her position as secretary to the manager of the American National Bank at Big Bear Lake and Mr. Hunter has been engaged locally in photographic work. Accompanied to the lookout peak by their young son, Larry, this will be their first season as fire-spotters." (The Grizzly)
* June 30, 1950: "Frank and Edith Garcio, of Big Bear Lake, took up their new duties as lookouts on Butler Peak this week, and were properly initiated into service by charting lightning strikes in yesterday afternoon's thunderstorm." (The Grizzly)
*September 8, 1950: "Tuesday, lightning struck at Butler Peak, but the snag fire was quickly extinguished, while another tree was struck at Moonridge, but quickly brought under control." (The Grizzly)
*June 8, 1951: "Lookouts took their places at their isolated perches last week, reports Ranger Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scott are on Butler Peak this summer." (The Grizzly)
*June 19, 1952: "Harry and Helen Godwin of Twentynine Palms have take up lookout duties on Butler Peak for the U. S. Forest Service, reports Dist. Ranger Jack Magee." (The Grizzly)
*August 14, 1952: "Miss Dorothy Jeffery was the 465th visitor to Butler Peak lookout this year, reports Lookout Harry Godwin.
Miss Jeffery is from Derby, England, on a visit to her brother whom she has not seen for 16 years until this time." (The Grizzly)
*October 9, 1952: "Despite her 80 years Mrs. E. M. Smart of Los Angeles spryly climbed up to Butler Peak to visit her daughter, Jean Godwin and learn why the Godwins seem to like perching on 'top of the world. at this isolated lookout. Mrs. Smart also had the distinction of registering as the 800th guest to visit Butler Peak this summer, and her comment was she could thoroughly understand her daughter's love of being up where she can see for miles and miles in any and all directions." (The Grizzly)
*November 13, 1952: "Lookout Harry Godwin dropped in the office to report they had over 5 inches (snow) at Butler Peak, but the lookouts are remaining at their posts until real rains eliminate the fire hazard." (The Grizzly)
*June 11, 1953: "Harry and Jean Godwin are at their usual station on Butler Peak." (The Grizzly)
*October 22, 1953: "Harry Godwin, lookout on Butler Peak, left to take up winter work with the U. S. Geological service on the desert, but his wife, Jean Godwin, remains on duty." (The Grizzly)
*June 3, 1954: "Mrs. Murphy is now at Butler Peak, and on her transfer to her own lookout on Keller, Harry and Jean Godwin will be reassigned to Butler. Crews are now working on grading and improvement of the road to Butler Peak, which was rough and in poor condition." (The Grizzly)
*June 2, 1955: "Butler Peak Lookout was re-opened Sunday, with Mrs. Jean Godwin, accompanied by her lovable Siamese cat, beginning her third year at the post." (The Grizzly)
*May 17, 1956: "Perhaps some local couple looking for a seven days a week job, lasting from dawn til dusk (May 30 - Oct.) and who want to get away from it all, might be interested in the position available as lookouts at Butler Peak for the duration of the fire hazard weather.
Jack Magee, district ranger, said this week that a couple was still needed for the lookout and that further information could be obtained by calling him at Big Bear Ranger Station..
Butler Peak is located at the east end of the lake to the left of Fawnskin at an elevation of 8,500 feet." (The Grizzly)
*May 24, 1956: "On Butler Peak as lookout this year will be Kitty Johnson, who is transferring to this forest from Lassen National Forest where she has been a lookout for three years." (The Grizzly)
*June 6, 1957: "Aleta Johnson was taken up to Butler Peak and settled down for the summer there for the second year. Her husband is fire prevention aide on the Cajon district stationed at City Creek Ranger Station." (The Grizzly)
*July 11, 1957: "Kent Bailey is manning Butler Peak lookout this week, filling in for Mrs. Leta Johnson who was hospitalized for observation and treatment of a chronic ailment. Mrs. Johnson has been released from the hospital and hopes to be back on her 'perch' atop Butler Peak very shortly, reports Dist. Ranger Earl Nichols." (The Grizzly)
*January 16, 1958: "Concrete forms and foundation steel for the micro-wave control tower for Four-States Oil Line was poured at Butler Peak Tuesday of this week, with R. E. Evans being one of the contractors on the job.
The towers will be fully automatic and will beam control signals to Corona from Butler Peak, to control flow of oil in the cross country line now under construction." (The Grizzly)
**May 22, 1958: "There will be a new man on Butler Peak this year. He is Harvey Turner who comes from the state of Washington, where he has had several years' experience as a lookout for the forest service." (The Grizzly)
**March 26, 1959: "First television showing of a film taken in the national forest here will be made tomorrow (Friday) evening on channel 13, Los Angeles, according to Ken Stanley, who shot it last fall. A 19 minute version is scheduled on Bill Burrud's 'Holiday' show at 7:30 p.m., March 27. Later a full hour show in color will be telecast on the National Broadcasting network, Stanley reports.
In the longer production are several mountain area residents, includes: Lookout Harvey Turner of Bear Valley." (The Grizzly)
**May 6, 1960: "Butler Peak: Overlooking Big Bear Valley; Harvey Turner." (The San Bernardino County Sun)