MADERA COUNTY
RED TOP
California Department of Forestry
June 16, 1928: "A fire lookout station will be built in the lower hills within the next few days.
The Madera Sugar Pine company has contributed the lumber for the building and Dean Bros. planning mill will supply the glass windows for the four sides of the station. The nails and other hardware are donated by A.E. Christiana of the Madera Hardware company.
These generous contributions indicate the general attitude toward the efforts being made to prevent fires in the forest, grass and grain lands of the county.
The new station will be on a high point known as Redtop on the Billy Brown ranch, 20 miles north and east of Madera, from which distant and clear views may be had of the county in all directions. Mr. Brown has promised to give a deed to the land necessary for the purpose.
Property owners in that locality have offered to do the building work, under supervision of Ranger Wofford.
Arrangements have been made for telephone connection with the new station." (Madera Tribune)
The Madera Sugar Pine company has contributed the lumber for the building and Dean Bros. planning mill will supply the glass windows for the four sides of the station. The nails and other hardware are donated by A.E. Christiana of the Madera Hardware company.
These generous contributions indicate the general attitude toward the efforts being made to prevent fires in the forest, grass and grain lands of the county.
The new station will be on a high point known as Redtop on the Billy Brown ranch, 20 miles north and east of Madera, from which distant and clear views may be had of the county in all directions. Mr. Brown has promised to give a deed to the land necessary for the purpose.
Property owners in that locality have offered to do the building work, under supervision of Ranger Wofford.
Arrangements have been made for telephone connection with the new station." (Madera Tribune)
June 19, 1928: "The selection of 'Redtop' point as the site for the new lookout station was approved, as it was held to cover a much larger area than would any other location that might be selected. As all materials for this station have been secured, the building work will start at once." (Madera Tribune)
June 21, 1928: "Construction of the Madera county lookout station on Redtop mountain is set for next Wednesday. Material is now on the ground and it is hoped that there will be sufficient number of people to respond to the call for volunteers to help build it.
State Forest Ranger J.E. Wofford will be at the site at 7 o'clock Wednesday morning and he urges any one interested in the station to assist in the building. Those going should take lunches. 'Bring your family and we will have an old-time raising bee,' he states, 'if you happen to be handy with a hand saw and have a sharp one, bring it.'
The route to the site is as follows: Madera east to Lane's bridge road, north to top of mountain about six miles to the Jos. Slater place, a half mile from this place will be a sign showing the turn off, follow car tracks of other cars through the field up to the lookout.
Canteens should be filled at the Slater place as there is no water at the lookout station site." (Madera Tribune)
State Forest Ranger J.E. Wofford will be at the site at 7 o'clock Wednesday morning and he urges any one interested in the station to assist in the building. Those going should take lunches. 'Bring your family and we will have an old-time raising bee,' he states, 'if you happen to be handy with a hand saw and have a sharp one, bring it.'
The route to the site is as follows: Madera east to Lane's bridge road, north to top of mountain about six miles to the Jos. Slater place, a half mile from this place will be a sign showing the turn off, follow car tracks of other cars through the field up to the lookout.
Canteens should be filled at the Slater place as there is no water at the lookout station site." (Madera Tribune)
August 9, 1928: "The drive for funds to meet the salary of a look-out at Red Top Mountain look-out station is progressing slowly, according to State Ranger J.E. Wofford, who is in charge of fire prevention work in this county.
The attempt is made to secure funds to keep a man at the station for this year, which, if accomplished, will be taken over by the state next year, the state refusing to act until a county has handled its needs for a year.
Contributions to the fund may be mailed in to the 'Red Top Lookout fund,' First National bank, Madera." (Madera Tribune)
May 1929: "Madera County has renewed its agreement with the State for fire prevention activities, contributing $1,500 toward the year's work. A ranger will be on duty in the county seven months of the year and a lookout will be maintained on Red Top Mountain, the State assuming all expenses in excess of $1,500." (The Forest Worker)
May 1, 1930: "George Gillette, fire warden, was back in town Wednesday and stated he had been spending two weeks in Madera county with eight other rangers making twelve miles of road, from Red Top lookout to Raymond." (Santa Cruz Evening News)
August 24, 1932: "Fresh outbreaks of forest fires in Mariposa county were reported here today.
The lookout a Red Top notified forest officials that a fire had broken out in the Bootjack district and that it was making considerable headway through brush and timber. The area covered by the fire could not be determined, he said.
A crew was sent to the blaze." (Oakland Tribune)
November 1, 1933: "Clarence Reed of Oakhurst was a Madera visitor today. He has just completed his duties for the season at the Red Top lookout station near Coarse Gold." (Madera Tribune)
July 11, 1934: "The brush and grass fire burning between Quartz mountain and the Fine Gold creek was reported under control this afternoon by the lookout on Red Top mountain." (Madera Tribune)
August 22, 1934: "Clarence Reed, lookout on Red Top mountain for the county fire control, yesterday was routed from his station living quarters but regained it again after a search of some three hours for a large rattlesnake that slipped in during the night. The snake played hide and seek with the lookout among dishes, pans, etc. And during the course of the battle the snake gained an advantage many times by the fact his opponent had to keep an eye out for fire warnings." (Madera Tribune)
November 14, 1942: "The state forestry division is preparing to build a new road to the Red Top fire lookout station, to make that station more accessible to automobiles. Engineer R. Ram of the state division of forestry arrived here last night to survey the new road which is to connect with the county road system." (Madera Tribune)
