VENTURA COUNTY
NORDHOFF PEAK
Los Padres National Forest
June 20, 1935: "The Forest Service has started work on a look-out station to be erected on Nordhoff peak, 4,500 foot altitude above the Ojai valley and overlooking the valley, the Matilija and Sespe river country. Peter Nielson is foreman in charge of the work which is to aid in forest fire control." (Oxnard Daily Courier)
October 7, 1938: "At 11:52 on the morning of Sept. 20, observer John V. Tracy located on Nordhoff Lookout Ojai District of Los Padres N.F. picked up and reported a smoke reading 116 1/2 degrees. Upon reporting smoke to the district concerned information revealed it to be a house fire in North Hollywood a distance of about 90 miles airline from Nordhoff Lookout and fire had only been burning about five minutes. It is possible that City fire equipment was still on its way to the scene at the time of Tracy's report. Nice going Johnnie and there's a mark for all other lookouts to shoot at. - R.L. Kloppenburg - Los Padres -" (California Ranger)
September 17, 1948: "Supervisor Andrew Brenners of Los Padres national forest said the fire was being held but couldn't be considered fully controlled until a few remaining hot spots were smothered.
The fire, which destroyed 17 homes at the edge of Ojai, caused incalculable damage to the watershed, Brenners said, and it destroyed 10 miles of forest service telephone lines. It burned the Nordhoff peak lookout tower and partly burned the Wheeler gorge public camp." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
The fire, which destroyed 17 homes at the edge of Ojai, caused incalculable damage to the watershed, Brenners said, and it destroyed 10 miles of forest service telephone lines. It burned the Nordhoff peak lookout tower and partly burned the Wheeler gorge public camp." (Spokane Daily Chronicle)
November 14, 1956: The Forest Service operated a Ground Observer Corps post out of the lookout. (Press-Courier