Dickinson Hill Fire tower is yet
another piece of our heritage quickly fading into the history
books. The fire tower is a 60 foot Aermotor LS-40
built in 1924 and served until the spring of 1974. This tower
wa
s
the first to be staffed by a woman fire observer, Helen Ellett of
Grafton. During World War II it was used by the Aircraft
Warning Service and in the 1970s was the site of communication
experiments by the U.S. Navy.
Views from the tower's cab is 360
degrees. You can see the Adirondack, Birkshire, Catskill,
Green, Taconic and Hilderberg mountain
ranges.
To get to Dickinson Hill fire tower
go east on route 2 from Grafton. About a mile east of town
take a left on Babcock Lake road and follow it about 1 1/2 mile
where you will turn left onto Tower Road. About a mile up
Tower Road the road makes a 90 degree turn. About 1/4 mile
after you make the 90 degree turn there is a woods road leading
through an old mangled iron rebar gate. You can either park
here or drive in depending on the time of year and the ground
clearance of your vehicle. Please don't block Tower Road or
the woods road. From where you leave Tower Road its about 1/3
miles to the tower and the cache isn't far from
that.
The cache is a 30 cal ammo can and
its not hidden in or on the stone wall.