SANTA CLARA COUNTY
COPERNICUS PEAK
California Department of Forestry
May 9, 1929: "Provision for a second fire lookout station for Santa Clara County, to be located at East Peak, a half mile east of Lick Observatory, on Mt Hamilton, has been made by the State, according to State Fire Warden Donald King for Santa Clara County on his return from Sacramento yesterday. The station, Mr. King says, will be of great benefit in handling what he fears will be one of the worst fire seasons in several years.
Starting July 1, a ranger will be stationed at Mount Hamilton temporarily until the new lookout station is completed. The station, to cost approximately $800, will be built on top of a large water tank on East Peak, giving it added height. The peak is 163 feet higher than Mt. Hamilton's summit. The new station will be circular in form, following contours of the big water tank. It will be two stories, the lower portion to provide the ranger's living quarters and the upper the circular lookout tower. This will be 11 feet in diameter, enclosed in heavy glass and will have a five-foot porch completely surrounding it." (San Jose News)
June 6, 1929: "C.R. King, a representative of the State Fire Patrol, was in Livermore this week, and while here left good news to the stockmen and farmers.
King informed Fire Warden John McGlinchey that the state department is planning to establish a lookout station at Mt. Hamilton about the first of July.
When the new lookout station is established at Mt. Hamilton the danger of fire hazard will be greatly lessened due to the fact that a more definite location of fires in the hills can be dtermined.
With the three stations--Mt. Hamilton, Mt. Boardman and Crane Lookout--at his command, Fire Warden McGlinchey will be able to determine pretty close the exact location of any fire in the adjoining mountains." (Livermore Journal)
February 11, 1930: "The station to be completed for use during this year's fire season, it was announced today by State Forester M.B. Pratt." (San Mateo Times)
February 12, 1930: "Three fire lookout stations now being by the state division of forestry, in cooperation with federal and counties agencies, in Amador, Tuolumne and Santa Clara counties, have names of historical interest, it was pointed out by State Forester M.B. Pratt.
Copernicus Peak, near Mt. Hamilton Observatory in Santa Clara county, was named by Dr. Holden, the first astronomer at that site, for Copernicus, the Polish Astronomer who discovered the system of planetary evolution." (Santa Cruz Evening News)
May 9, 1930: "Construction of a lookout station on Mt. Hamilton was started by the state forestry department this week and is expected to be of material assistance this summer in fighting fires in the range lands south of here, according to John McGlinchey, county fire warden.
With a trained ranger in charge of the station it will be possible, McGlinchey said, to establish the definite location of a fire much quicker and to get it under control before it reaches serious proportions. Alameda county has maintained a lookout on Crane Ridge for several years, but has had to depend upon the cooperation of employees of the Lick observatory in locating fires south of the ridge." (Oakland Tribune)
June 21, 1930: "The state division of forestry will formally dedicate its seventeenth lookout station on the top of Copernicus peak, northeast of Mt. Hamilton in Santa Clara county, tomorrow, according to plans announced today." (San Mateo Times)
June 23, 1930: "A new fire lookout station was dedicated yesterday by State Forester M.B. Pratt on Mount Copernicus, the highest peak in Santa Clara county. Within a mile of Mount Hamilton, on which Lick observatory is located, the new station has an elevation of 4385 feet, 165 feet higher than Mount Hamilton. With the two other stations in the vicinity, one on Mount Bielawski and the other on Loma Prieta in Santa Clara county, this district now has the most complete lookout system in the state, Pratt declared." (Bakersfield Californian)
July 9, 1930: "Fanned by a brisk southerly breeze, the flames were spreading rapidly in a northerly direction, and fearing that Lick Observatory might be threatened, a hurry call was sent out this afternoon from the observatory for volunteer fire fighters.
The fire was sighted at 9 o'clock this morning by rangers at the new Copernicus Peak lookout station, who were hampered in their plea for aid as no telephone has been installed as yet at the new station." (San Jose Evening News)
July 25, 1930: "The state board of forestry recently established its 17th lookout station, on Mt. Hamilton, Santa Clara county." (Woodland Daily Democrat)
March 7, 1940: "Bill Carey, lookout on Copernicus peak, for the Lick Observatory, was able to make a valuable contribution to science as to the results of being struck by lightning. He was busy charting lightning strikes when 'a ball of fire as big as a washtub' hit him on the head. He was unconscious for an hour but the scientific records of the case show that the only ill effects was a headache the morning after." (Blytheville Courier News)
