Adventure 003, Site 035 – Buck Rock Lookout

Capture California, the Game-2013
Adventure: 003, Site 035 – Buck Rock Lookout
National Registry of Historic Places ID: Nominated
National Historic Lookout Registry ID: 284 (USA)




Team: YOLT
Date:  September 1, 2013
Location:
Coordinates: N 36 44.160 W 118 51.586
Address: Sequoia National Forest, Tulare County, California


Description:
Date Built: 1923


Huell Howser, California’s Gold, says, “For high adventure, this is the place to come.”



Sherri and Gary one of these days will be trained as lookouts with the Buck Rock Foundation—we have had a rather busy summer and our schedule has not coincided with the Foundation trainer's schedule. But in the meantime, we helped out with the Buck Rock Open House being all around gophers: helping people up the stairs, unloading and loading stuff and lugging ice chests from one place to another.



Buck Rock is situated on top of this rock sticking out from the surrounding forest. You can see it for miles away—from Hume Lake, from the General's Highway for instance. But up close and personal you get the feeling of majesticness as it stands in front of blue sky.



The original station was built in 1912. The current station was built in 1923; the stairs were added in 1944. What did the lookouts do before then? There was an old dead log laid against the rock with notches cut in it. I for one would not have wanted to be that lookout. Now with its 172 steps in place, it is just a matter of climbing and overcoming vertigo. The lookout has a fairly modern set up inside the lookout-radios, weather station and even electricity.



One of the special things about Buck Ruck is its history. In 1944, when all the men were fighting World War II. Leatrice Evinger Dotters starting serving as a look out. She stayed on long after the war, becoming the longest serving lookout at Buck Rock. Today, the lookout is staffed by another female, Kathy Ball. Kathy has been instrumental in having Buck Rock maintained and staffed. She created the Buck Rock Foundation which now helps fund and staff three lookouts: Buck Rock, Park Ridge and Deliah.






From NHLR:
The 4A style 14’x 14’ lookout was built from 1917 to 1923 when it was replaced by the 4AR model. Buck Rock Lookout, constructed on the Sequoia National Forest in 1923, is one of only three 4As remaining. It is reached via a suspended flight of stairs.
From the NFS Site:
Why is the lookout named Buck Rock?  Legend has it that if you look at the rock from a certain angle, you can see the profile of an Indian warrior.  In times gone by, we use to call male Indians “bucks” – thus the name.  Native Americans referred to the rock as “Finger Rock”.



References:

• Buck Rock Foundation
  
• Web Cam
  
• NHLR
  
• Huell Howser California Gold #4003
  
• Fire Lookouts Association
  
• Nation Forest Service site
  
• Tulare County Treasures
  

Overall Landmark References:

• National Historic Lookout Registry (NHLR)