The OES visited Shawnee Lookout Tower on April 27, 2002 and made a return trip on July 19, 2003. Deep in the Wayne National Forest, the lookout tower was built to protect the developing forest from wildfire. The Shawnee Lookout Tower was one of four lookout towers built in the are during the 1930s. This particular tower was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It is the only one of the four that remained standing. Shawnee Lookout Tower was manned and used for fire detection until sometime in the 1970s. Our founder's uncle once made a movie there during his high school years in the mid-1970s; so it must have been abandoned in the early 1970s. The tower was made of steel with wooden steps. It was 100 feet tall and the cabin at the top was seven square feet. Originally there was a cabin, restroom and garage at the site, but they have all since been demolished or burned down. It was also one of the first sites in the area to have telephone service after it was installed in the cabin in 1935. In 1989 Shawnee Lookout Tower had fallen into disrepair as it had been around fifteen years since it was used as an active lookout tower. Since the structure was still sound after standing for fifty years, it was restored. The tower was opened to the public for anyone to climb to the top. The view from the top of the tower was awesome. Even on a rainy day, we could see for many miles. It's nice to see a restored abandoned structure that everyone can enjoy. Thanks goes to Shannon and Rodney for taking us to the tower.

NOTE: The Shawnee Lookout Tower was closed temporarily in 2004 due to wind damage. The park service was determining how and when repairs would be made. If you have any further information about the tower's status, please email .