MONTEREY COUNTY
THREE PEAKS
Los Padres National Forest
24S-6E-15
24S-6E-15
1934: The CCC constructed the 14x14 cab on a ten foot enclosed tower. (Lookouts of the Los Padres Forest - By Irma Oksen Reaves)
July 9, 1934: "Receiving sets have been installed in the Three Peaks lookout station.
The Three Peaks station will be controlled from Cone Peak ranger station." (The Daily Times)
September 12, 1941: "Ernie Harriman, relief lookoutman at Three Peaks Lookout on the Monterey District, Los Padres National Forest, was asked among other things to get a pan of food every evening for a fox. Ernie enthusiastically complied with this request with one exception. On that particular day Ernie had two visitors; and as a result of this excitement he failed to remember the fox. Since Ed Neal and Bill Bane, forest guards, were rugged individuals, they decided to sleep outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Ed made his bed on the catwalk around the lookout tower and Bill spread his bedroll out below a large rock not far from the building. The boys were all tucked in and about to plunge into a deep slumber when a fox mounted the boulder above Bill, and voiced his disapproval. Bill retaliated by throwing a few pebbles and small rocks at him. The fox would dart down to the far side of the rock to dodge the missiles, but he would always return to continue his barking. Ernie realized that this couldn't be endured all night, so he prepared a pan of food and set it out for the rogue. In a very few minutes the boys were sawing wood, as only foresters can, and were not disturbed for the remainder of the night. --Lookout Earl Sechrist - Monterey Division -- Los Padres -" (California Ranger)
During World War Two the lookout was staffed by the Aircraft Warning Service and additional facilities were built. (Lookouts of the Los Padres Forest - By Irma Oksen Reaves)
1958: The lookout was discontinued due to the lack of funds. Later the U.S. Army and the Forest Service made a land swap, the Army had no interest in the lookout and after some time vandalism and weather took its toll and the structure was torn down. (Lookouts of the Los Padres Forest - By Irma Oksen Reaves)