SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

MORTON PEAK

San Bernardino National Forest
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)

​May 11, 1934:  "Construction on two  new lookout stations in the San Bernardino national forest will start next Monday, Supervisor J.E. Elliott announced yesterday, as part of the forest service's program to speed preparations for the fire season, several weeks earlier this year than ordinary.
      Steel towers will be erected on Morton peak, between Santa Ana and Mill creek canyons and on Red mountain, in Riverside county."  (The San Bernardino County Sun)

July 11, 1934:  "Construction of a new forest service lookout on Morton peak, near the mouth of Mill creek canyon, began yesterday and will be followed in a few days by start of work on another lookout at San Sevaine, west of Lytle creek.
      The Morton peak lookout is the first of four which will be built under a new program during the summer.  As soon as Morton and San Sevaine stations are finished, forest service crews will begin work on one at Red Hill, near Upland, and Barton peak, south of Banning in the San Jacinto mountains."  (The San Bernardino County Sun)

January 12, 1935:   "Construction of seven of 11 "J" type garages to be erected at lookout towers on the San Bernardino national forest moved a step nearer completion yesterday when contracts for materials were let yesterday,
      The Hayward Lumber Co. submitted the low bid of $1,587 for materials for the combination garages and storage sheds to be erected at Cajon lookout tower, Keller peak, Morton peak, Red mountain, San Seavine, Strawberry peak and Thomas mountain."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)

July 25, 1959:   "Control lines built by a fast-striking force of 700 men today contained 800 blackened acres on the Mill Creek slope of Morton Peak, 11 miles east of Redlands.
      If the weather stays normal, no major outbreaks should occur.   During this morning six water-bombers were called back into action from Hemet-Chino to douse hot spots on the troublesome west line.
      The only structural damage was to the isolated fire lookout tower atop the peak.   It was destroyed.   Mrs. Aletha Johnson, the lookout, was rescued by helicopter yesterday at 1:13 p.m. when the fire was one hour old.   She lost her personal belongings.
      Five fire fighters were injured."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

July 26, 1959:  "A lookout tower atop Morton Peak was destroyed early Friday afternoon but no other structures were damaged."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)

August 4, 1959:   "Confronted with a growing fire hazard in the Mill Creek areas, the Forest Service announced today plans to establish a temporary lookout post on Morton Peak.
      The regular tower structure was completely destroyed two weeks ago in a 650 acres fire that swept up the hill side.  Fire spotter Mrs. Aleta Johnson was rescued by helicopter only minutes before the tower went up in flames.
      Last week Carl Hickerson, San Gorgonio district ranger, said there were no definite plans to rebuild the structure, which would cost nearly $30,000.
      The project is now 'under study,' and until a decision is reached a temporary spotter post will be set up, according to Mill Creek Ranger Station officials."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

April 13, 1960:   "Mrs. Warren Johnson, the lookout, will take up station there in about two weeks, remaining for the fire season.
      Until the new station is completed, she will use a house trailer that was brought to the peak last year after the fire.
      At that time, the Aloutte helicopter based at Redlands Municipal airport brought Mrs. Johnson off the peak a scant 20 minutes before the flames reached the lookout station."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

April 13, 1960:   "A steel fire lookout house will soon be built on Morton Peak, 16 miles east of Redlands, to replace the wooden structure destroyed by a forest fire July 24, 1959.
      A legal notice advertising for bids for the project appears in today's Facts.   The new cab will be built on the existing steel tower, which has been declared structurally sound."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

April 15, 1960:   "Sealed bids will be received until 2:00 P.M., Pacific Daylight Saving Time, April 29, 1960 at the U.S. Forest Service, 630 Sansome Street, Room 608, San Francisco 11, California for the construction of a steel lookout house and erection on existing steel lookout tower at Morton Peak on the San Bernardino National Forest.  Morton Peak is located approximately 16 miles Northeast of Redlands, California.  Plans and specifications are available at the San Francisco address for a deposit of twenty five dollars ($25.00) per set, or they may be viewed only at the office of the Forest Supervisor San Bernardino National Forest, 157 W. 5th Street, San Bernardino, California."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)

May 2, 1960:   "With a bid of $12,500 the Crenan Construction Company of Whittier won the U.S. Forest Service contract for building a steel fire lookout house atop Morton Peak, 16 miles east of Redlands.  Bids were opened Friday afternoon in the San Francisco regional office.
      On July 24, 1959, a fire swept from Mill Creek road, in the bottom of the canyon, to Morton Peak.  Flames destroyed the lookout house but the tall, steel frame on which it stood was not structurally wrecked and will be re-used."   (Redlands Daily Facts)
July 1, 1960:   "The first stage of the re-establishment of the Morton Peak fire lookout is nearing completion.
      The garage containing bathroom facilities is almost done and work is proceeding on the lookout tower itself.
      The contractor is prefabricating most of the construction and will install it in a few weeks."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

August 1, 1960:   The lookout moved into the new steel cab constructed by the Crenan Construction company of Whittier at a cost of about $14,000.  An additional $5000 was expended on a small garage.

January 25, 1961:   "A recruiting and training program in which 100 people received instruction in fire control was carried on during the year.   A new fire lookout tower and garage were constructed on Morton Peak, replacing buildings destroyed in the Morton Fire of 1959."   (Redlands Daily Facts)

July 10, 1975:   "Lightning started three fires Wednesday afternoon near the Morton Peak lookout tower staffed by the U.S. Forest Service at the 4,500-foot level north of Yucaipa.  On one occasion, lightning struck the tower itself scaring a woman firefighter."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)

​May 6, 1992:   "A U.S. Forest Service lookout tower on Morton Peak, northeast of Mentone, was damaged in an explosion Tuesday, sheriff's officials said.
      No one was injured and sheriff's officials didn't know what caused the blast, said Tanya Cahill, a public information clerk for the sheriff's Yucaipa station.
      Deputies were notified of the explosion about noon.  The sheriff's bomb and arson detail is investigating."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)

May 7, 1992:   "Vandals broke through a security gate leading to the Morton Peak Lookout Tower and set off a bomb in the tower's garage, police and forestry officials said Wednesday.
      The lookout, northeast of Yucaipa off Highway 38, has not been manned since the late 1970's because of budget cuts, said Eric Sweetman, fire prevention officer for the U.S. Forest Service.
      The tower is slated to be moved to the Toiyabe National Forest near Las Vegas, Sweetman said."   (The San Bernardino County Sun)