SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
FIGUEROA MOUNTAIN
Los Padres National Forest
July 13, 1917: "The forestry service lookout station in the northern part of the county has been moved from Zaca Peak to the top of Figueroa mountain where James Goodchild will watch for fires until winter rains.
J.R. Hall, forest supervisor, today said that the Figueroa lookout station commands a broader view of forest land and is more accessible. The water supply on Figueroa mountain is better than the supply on Zaca Peak. -- Santa Ynez Argus." (The Lompoc Record)
J.R. Hall, forest supervisor, today said that the Figueroa lookout station commands a broader view of forest land and is more accessible. The water supply on Figueroa mountain is better than the supply on Zaca Peak. -- Santa Ynez Argus." (The Lompoc Record)
July 18, 1919: "Forest Fire Lookout W. F. Crawford, in the highest branches of the tallest pines that grow on the summit of Figueroa mountain near Los Olivos, has built himself an observation house. In a letter to J. R. Hall, forest supervisor, Crawford inclosed a neat drawing of his 'improvements' on the mountain top.
The observation station is roofed over and walled to a height of a man's chest. It is fitted with a bench so that the observer may rest. The floor of the lookout is 55 feet above the summit of the mountain and Crawford has erected a pole on the top of the room and flies the American flag a hundred feet above the highest point of land in that district.
Crawford is soon to be relieved of his lookout job by E. Tilleton, who in a few days will be discharged from the sub-chaser service and has secured work with the government employment agency. Tilleton is aboard one of the sub-chasers that has been a frequent visitor in the Santa Barbara harbor." (Santa Maria Times)
November 12, 1920: "Chas. Clover, a forester, recently of Colorado, helped the local Ranger, J.J. Libeu, to cut timbers for a cabin at Lookout station on Figueroa Mt." (Lompoc Review)
January 14, 1921: "T. W. Sloan, forest supervisor, called the attention to the bad condition in the telephone line from the lookout on Mt. Figueroa to the Santa Ynez central station and declared that it was vitally necessary that the line be repaired.
This single line, he pointed out, was responsible for saving many thousands of dollars from loss by fire throughout the adjacent agricultural sections during the past year." (The Lompoc Record)
July 15, 1922: "Work was begun on a trail to the summit of Figueroa mountain yesterday under the supervision of the forest rangers, according to C.E. Jordan, forest supervisor.
The purpose of the trail is to furnish a route over which the material may be transported to be used in the construction of a new lookout station at this place. The material will be carried from Los Olivos over the mountain road now existing between that town and a point about a mile and a half from the summit. The new trail will run from the end of this road to the top.
The work of transporting the material will begin the first of next week, Mr. Jordan said. The construction of the lookout building, which is to be of the standard type adopted by the forestry department for such stations, will be carried out under the direction of the supervisor himself. The building will be largely of glass and the pine trees on the summit of the mountain will be removed to insure the greatest possible amount of visibility. The building will be equipped throughout with all the latest devices in use for the detection and location of fires in the forest." (Morning Press)
July 21, 1922: "Work has already begun on the new station on Figueroa mountain in the Zaca district. A truck load of lumber was sent out from Santa Barbara Wednesday designed for the construction of the building on the summit of this mountain. Supervisor Jordan will leave for Figueroa today to direct operations. The supervisor has drawn all the plans for the new station, which will embody all the latest devices used in the detection of fires." (Morning Press)
August 23, 1922: "Among the projects on which the department has been at work is the construction of the lookout station at Figueroa mountain, and the improvement of trails in the vicinity of Santa Barbara. The foundation has been laid for the lookout station and most of the material for the structure is on the ground.
The work will be resumed some time during the fall, the supervisor says. It is hoped to complete the Figueroa lookout station this year." (Morning Press)
November 19, 1924: "According to a report received by the Touring Department of the National Automobile Club, Forest Supervisor Chester E. Jordan has recommended construction of two roads in the Santa Barbara National Forest this year. One of the proposed roads will be to the new lookout Frazier Mountain lookout in Ventura County and the other is to be an addition to the present road to Figueroa Mountain lookout in the Zaca district." (Corona Daily Independent)
December 7, 1926: "Zolla Ontiveros, who has charge of the lookout on Figueroa mountain, is in Santa Ynez for the winter. He has charge of the pruning of the Doheny orchard." (The Santa Maria Daily Times)
August 3, 1927: "Tollo Ontiveros has returned to his lookout station on Figueroa mountain after several weeks spent in Santa Barbara." (The Santa Maria Daily Times)
February 17, 1928: "Z. A. Ontiveros of Santa Ynez was in Solvang Thursday and reports that he will soon leave for his post at Lookout Point on Figueroa mountain, where he spends his summers as lookout man, in the employ of Uncle Sam." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
May 4, 1928: "The road up to Lookout point on Figueroa Mountain is being put into good shape by John Roth and crew. Work was started Saturday and a few of the steep grades will be eliminated." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
November 23, 1928: "Z. A. Ontiveros, lookout man on Figueroa mountain is back home after his summer's stay at the lookout station. He packed his belongings down to the foot of the mountain as the roads were too bad to attempt the trip by car, owing to the heavy rains on the mountains." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
May 31, 1929: "Z. A. Ontiveros left Monday for the lookout station on Figueroa mountain and will remain there for the coming five months as lookout for this district. Mr. Ontiveros has been employed by the forest service for the past sixteen years, of which twelve years he has occupied the position of lookout on Figueroa.
He is rated as one of the best lookout men in the service and takes great pride in his work.
He took with him enough supplies to last him for one month and from then on the ranger delivers supplies to him every two weeks." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
October 15, 1929: "Water in the districts of Figueroa mountain is very low, according to Z. A. Ontiveros, lookout man for the forest service." (The Santa Maria Daily Times)
November 16, 1929: "A fire which is cutting along a frontage several miles long, in San Luis Obispo county, travelling toward the Santa Barbara national forest was reported to United States forestry officials here today.
Figueroa mountain lookout some 150 miles away, first sighted the blaze.
Forest patrolmen and fireguards in the Monterey section of the national forest were notified to hold themselves in readiness for a call to keep the fire from spreading into the national forest." (The Santa Maria Daily Times)
January 17, 1930: "Z. A. Ontiveros, lookout man on Figueroa has taken up his residence at Santa Ynez after a half year's stay at his station as lookout man." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
July 15, 1930: "The sharp vision of a Figueroa mountain fire patrolman led to a visit to White Hills by the county fire patrol from Santa Ynez one day last week. The visit was somewhat of a false alarm, for the fire, being used to dispose of brush near homes at White Hills, was entirely under control, and the services of the fire fighters were no needed.
Perched on his 4500-foot-high lookout station on Figueroa mountain, the lookout detected a tell-tale smoke near Lompoc. Plotting the location on his chart he phoned to the fire fighters at Santa Ynez, who sped here at top speed. The crew based at Santa Ynez is commanded by Bard Davidson." (Lompoc Review)
September 12, 1930: "The wild game in the vicinity of Figueroa mountain lookout station, have a friend in the veteran lookout, Zollo Ontiveros. Mr. Ontiveros does not permit shooting in the vicinity of his home there, and quail, doves and deer have become quite tame. There is no water on the peak on which the station is erected and it is brought up at intervals from the ranger station, by pack animals.
Mr. Ontiveros has made drinking fountains for the birds by sinking small cans in the earth and filling them with water each day. He says the birds empty them regularly." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
November 28, 1930: "Z. A. Ontiveros, lookout man on Figueroa mountain, moved down to his home in Santa Ynez after spending the summer months on duty. He has served at this station for the past fourteen years. Mr. Ontiveros left Wednesday for Santa Maria to spend Thanksgiving Day with his sister." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
June 4, 1931: "Zollo Ontiveros, United States Forest Service lookout who watches for fires from the summit of Mount Figueroa in the Santa Barbara National Forest in California, is stationed far from the beaten tracks, but during the past season his visitors register showed that 417 callers came to his 'crows nest'. His visitors came from as far as Alberta, Canada; Philippine Islands; Denmark; England; Hawaii; as well as from Washington D.C.; Westfield, N.Y.; New Orleans, Boston and Florida." (Plumas Independent)
June 24, 1931: "Re-appointed June 1st, Zollo Ontiveros of Santa Ynez, began his 15th consecutive year as lookout on Figueroa mountain. During this long period of service, the veteran 'fire spy' has maintained a ceaseless vigil and more than once has notified forest officials of small blazes which might have become raging forest fires.
In some instances Ontiveros has seen fire indications outside his territory and in the boundary of other lookout stations." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
October 16, 1931: "Zollo Ontiveros returned last Saturday from Santa Barbara, after being under the doctor's care there for the past two weeks. He returned to his lookout position on Mt. Figueroa on Saturday evening. Lloyd Henning substituted as lookout during the two weeks." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
June 4, 1932: "Z. Ontiveros, who for 14 years has been lookout at the Figueroa station, returned to that post this morning." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
June 13, 1932: "Zollo Ontiveros, 57-year-old lookout on Figueroa mountain in Santa Barbara National forest, today was expected to leave his post temporarily because of illness, according to District U.S. Ranger Paul C. Case.
This is the 16th consecutive year that Ontiveros has been on duty at Figueroa mountain. He probably will be replaced by Alfred Davis of Sisquoc, during his absence, Ranger Case said." (The Daily Times)
October 27, 1932: "Smoke from the blaze was sighted by Alfred Davis, lookout on Figueroa mountain, who notified Terence Potter, county fire warden stationed at Buellton. Warden Potter sped to the scene of the flames with a county pumper truck." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
June 14, 1933: "Lookout Ernest Green on Figueroa mountain, reported the blaze to federal forest service headquarters in Santa Barbara yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. Two hours later, Paul C. Case, U.S. ranger in charge of the Santa Maria district, was ordered to the scene and two truckloads of C.C.C. men in the Pine canyon camp were detailed to aid in suppressing the flames." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
July 14, 1933: "Ernest Green, federal forest service lookout on Figueroa mountain, has an eagle eye for anything that resembles smoke.
At 3:30 o'clock Monday afternoon he telephoned County Fire Warden Frank Pechumer that a fire has broken out near Sisquoc. Warden Pechumer dashed to the Hancock ranch property and found only a column of dust raised by 200 sheep who were being corralled.
Tuesday noon Warden Pechumer got another call from Lookout Green, who reported smoke near Los Alamos. He was sure it was a fire this time, what appeared to be a big one.
The anxious county fire official stepped on the gas once more and found another dust cloud on the R.B. Price ranch, this time caused by 500 sheep." (The Lompoc Record)
February 4, 1934: "Zollo A. Ontiveros, 58, a resident of Santa Maria valley for the past 16 years and until his retirement last year the oldest lookout in the federal forestry department, died this afternoon in a Santa Barbara hospital.
Ontiveros was forced to give up his post as lookout man on Figueroa mountain last year because of illness from which he never fully recovered." (Santa Maria Daily Times)
June 5, 1934: "A recreational forest park is being built around the summit of Figueroa lookout station 4,500 feet above sea level overlooking Santa Ynez valley and the coast. Giant timber and wild flowers cover the area." (La Grande Evening Observer)
June 8, 1934: "William Parsons has been stationed at Figueroa Mountain Lookout and is now on duty." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
October 26, 1934: "Wm. Parsons of the Figueroa mountain lookout has been transferred to the Sunset Valley C.C.C. camp for the winter months." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
July 3, 1936: "The two-year-old daughter of lookout Leo Peterson, Figueroa mountain, was bruised and received a possible concussion Monday when she was struck by a truck driven by Ernest J. Doty, forestry worker. The child was playing beneath the truck, when he started the vehicle, it was reported. The girl was taken to Solvang for medical treatment." (Santa Ynez Valley News)
June 5, 1939: "William Green will commence his duties as lookout on Mt. Figueroa tomorrow." (Santa Maria Daily Times)