Spring 2020 LOCALadk Magazine 67
LOCALadk
Stillwater Fire Tower
A Centennial Histor y…and Earlier
By James F. Fox
This book might only have 55 pages, but we can assure
you each one is filled with histor y, passion, hard work and
lots of happy and proud people. The Stillwater Fire Tower
has a rich and interesting histor y, and author Jim Fox has
done his research and now knows it well. Jim's wife, Car-
ol, has family ties to the tower that date back to 1901. The
author is driven to share his love of the tower and the area
with readers and hikers. He became the force behind the
new push to renovate and re-open the tower. Volunteers
started in 2009, but interest and help faded, and in 2015 the
Department of Environmental Conser vation sought help in
starting restoration again. Jim's good friend Harr y nominat-
ed him, and Friends of Stillwater Fire Tower was born and
work resumed. In July 2016 over 200 people attended the
official opening. If you are interested in the fire towers of
New York, we recommend the book and encourage you to
visit Stillwater and hike the tower.
This book is available online at www.friendsofstillwater-
firetower.com for a $15 donation. A few local shops also car-
r y it in the Old Forge, Inlet and Lowville areas.