LOS ANGELES COUNTY
SAN DIMAS (johnston peak)
Angeles National Forest
September 24, 1919: "More than a thousand fire fighters up to noon today had been unable to stem the sea of flame sweeping through the Angeles and Santa Barbara forest reserves. After receiving reports from airplanes flying over the fire zone and from fire lookout stations. Forest Supervisor R.H. Charlton declared the fires far beyond control and that he saw no prospect in controlling them.
The watersheds of every city and town between Saugus and San Bernardino are in danger.
The destruction of these watersheds would seriously impair and might destroy the water supply of more than a score of towns.
The fire has driven the forest rangers from the San Dimas fire lookout.
Camps Bonita and Colwater are encircled and it is not known whether their inhabitants have escaped, it is believed, however, no lives have been lost." (Modesto Evening News)
The watersheds of every city and town between Saugus and San Bernardino are in danger.
The destruction of these watersheds would seriously impair and might destroy the water supply of more than a score of towns.
The fire has driven the forest rangers from the San Dimas fire lookout.
Camps Bonita and Colwater are encircled and it is not known whether their inhabitants have escaped, it is believed, however, no lives have been lost." (Modesto Evening News)
September 16, 1932: :A force of seventy-five men still patrol the Quarry canyon area where a brush fire raged through some 500 acres of chaparral before it was halted by a line of fire fighters on San Dimas Lookout forest service road. The effective check put to the flames by a crew of 300 men and six tank trucks under direction of Federal and county foresters, plus the fortunate sweep of the fire into the road and San Dimas firebreak, had evidently stopped its progress permanently. No new outbreaks were reported to Nels Peterson, Federal ranger, and K.P. Carter, San Dimas, county fire warden." (The Arcadia Tribune)
March 24, 1933: "Providing employment for approximately 150 men, construction work on a fire protection motorway which starts at the Bluebird ranch, located about three miles northeast of Glendora, and extends along the top of the south ridge of Big Dalton canyon, terminating at the San Dimas Lookout tower, is underway at the present time under the supervision of the Los Angeles county Forestry department." (Arcadia Tribune)
December 5, 1933: "Lions are roaming the hills back of here that overlook Los Angeles.
First the remains of four partly devoured deer were found in the mountains and then a forest service fire lookout on San Dimas peak reported seeing a lion chase a deer to the very doorstep of his lookout station.
So the state lion hunter has been sent down here with the dogs by the state fish and game commission, to track and slay the lions." (Bakersfield Californian)
July 5, 1940: "At 3 o'clock on the afternoon of June 27, Johnstone Peak in the Angeles National Forest was dedicated to the memory of W.A. Johnstone, pioneer conservationist who died in 1937. This peak lies directly north of San Dimas and upon it is located San Dimas Lookout, henceforth to be known as Johnstone Peak Lookout." (California Ranger)
June 28, 1946: "That a lookoutman's life is full of surprises was proven recently when Mt Baldy District personnel drove up to Johnstone Peak to open for the fire season. V.E. White the fire control assistant and Everett L. Osborn, lookout man, were both startled and surprised to find the entrance to the tower defended by a very lively swarm of bees, who had established headquarters between the shutter covering the door, and the door itself. The two men had to retreat hastily and summoned help by radio.
Half an hour later help was on the way. Mr. Milton P. Woodworth, famous as a local bee-man was rushed to the tower by Glen White, and within a short while the swarm had been captured and ten pounds of honey had been taken. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that a lookout tower served as a beehive. With the bees out of the way, the tower was made ready for occupancy, the fire finder set up and Mr. Osborn moved into the tower for the season. By nightfall the last few bees had disappeared and life on the tower settled down to routine." (Covina Argus Citizen)
1992: The lookout was moved to the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds to be used as an exhibit in the Forestry section.
