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 hidden Smokey Bear geocaches in OH and 1 of 75 hidden on the entire Smokey Bear Geotour which is located in the following 7 states: VA, MD, OH, DE, NJ, PA and WV.
This 60 foot firetower was constructed in 1929. In 1928, land acquisition for Zaleski State Forest began, motivated by the purposes of reforestation and forest fire control. To accomplish this mission, trees were planted, and a fire tower was built. During the 1930s, the federal government formed the Resettlement Administration to address the impoverished conditions of marginal agricultural areas across the nation.
The Resettlement Administration initiated the Land Utilization Program, through which unproductive and abandoned farmlands were acquired to promote forest management and provide recreational opportunities. The area around Zaleski, Ohio, was one of these resettlement areas. Restoration began through the application of erosion control devices and the planting of tree seedlings.
Other improvements, including 35 miles of roads, numerous firebreaks, wildlife ponds and public facilities were constructed, many with the assistance of such programs as the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1939, the Division of Forestry was given operational control of the area. In 1949, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) was formed, and management of Lake Hope State Park was transferred to the Division of Parks. The Division of Forestry was transferred from the Agricultural Experiment Station to the new ODNR, and the division continued to manage the Zaleski State Forest. In 1957, ownership of both the park and forest land was transferred to ODNR. Zaleski State Forest has become Ohio’s second largest state-owned forest, covering over 28,000 acres.
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.