Smokey Bear 75th Anniversary GeoTour
Since 1944, Smokey Bear has taught millions of Americans about their role in preventing wildfires. 75 years later, Smokey is celebrating a milestone birthday. Honor him and this timeless message of wildfire prevention by finding all 75 caches in this GeoTour.
About This Specific Location
Placed with the permission of the Ohio Division of Forestry. You should not have to climb the firetower to access this geocache. This is 1 of 10 Smokey Bear geocaches in OH and 1 of 75 hidden on the entire GeoTour which is located in the following 7 states: VA, MD, OH, DE, NJ, PA and WV.
This 60 foot firetower was constructed in 1924. In 1922, the State of Ohio purchased 5,000 acres of cleared and fire-ravaged land once inhabited by the Shawnee Indians. This initial land acquisition established what is now known as Shawnee State Forest.
During that same year, land purchases started for the nearby Theodore Roosevelt Game Preserve – the Game Preserve is now part of both Shawnee State Park and Shawnee State Forest. In the 1930’s, six Civilian Conservation Corps camps were located in the forest. The CCC constructed many roads in the inaccessible area. Five small lakes were also constructed by the young men of the CCC, and these lakes are still enjoyed by visitors. After the creation of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources in 1949, the recreational facilities at Roosevelt Lake were transferred to the Division of Parks. In 1951, an agreement between the divisions of Forestry and Wildlife transferred the remaining 11,000 acres of the Roosevelt Game Preserve into Shawnee State Forest. Shawnee State Forest, also called “the Little Smokies of Ohio,” has developed into the largest of the state forests, with over 65,000 acres.
While the forest is a fantastic recreation feature in southern Ohio, visitors should not be surprised to see other activities here. The forest provides a variety of uses on a sustainable basis. Timber harvesting, tree planting, wildlife habitat enhancement, forestry research, watershed and soil protection, production of tree seeds, and road and trail maintenance are some of the projects accomplished by the Division of Forestry. During the spring and fall forest fire danger periods, state forest crews detect and suppress wildfires that occur on state and private lands within the surrounding protection area.
More About This GeoTour
By visiting all of these locations, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of why it is so important to prevent wildfires - whether in your backyard or out in the forest. The Middle-Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact are the Hosts of this GeoTour. We offer several trackable prizes so please use this GeoTour Passport to keep track of your progress.