New Jersey Lookouts

Total known Sites - 174
Last Update - 2/11/2006
Tower name County  Owner  Forest Date built Type
Status
1925UnknownPrivate  UnknownUnknownStone 50’
Was originally a steel fire tower moved to this location
95 mile tree LkoutMorrisUnknownUnknown1900Tree Lookout
East-West Jersey Line, Budd Lake, Turkey Hill.Budd Lk FT
99 mile treeMorrisPrivateUnknown1900Tree
Survey line East-West Jersey, unknown if it was a Lookout
Apple PieBurlingtonNJFFSFish & Game1915, rebuilt 1950Steel 60'
Active
Apple Pie HillBurlingtonDr. WhiteUnknown1915Wood Cupola
Provided by Dr White’s Sanitarium for fire detection ; Site nomination
AwostingPassaicWehrenWest Milford1915Wood
Site
Bass RiverBurlingtonNJFFSBass River1927, rebuilt 1937Steel
Active
BatstoBurlingtonNJFFSWharton SF1924Steel 100'
Active
Batsto mansionBurlingtonWashingtonBatsto Village1842Platform House
Standing
Bear SwampBurlingtonNJFFSPenn Forest1960Info UA
Destroyed
Bear Swamp HillBurlingtonPenn For.Unknown1900Tree Platform
Later the site of a 1915 wood lookout burned in a forest fire ; Site nomination
BearfortPassaicNJFFSWaywayanda1884 -first, rebuilt 1933Info UA
Active
BearfortPassaicWatershedCedar Mtn1884-1909-1916Tree, Iron, Wood
Info UA
BelleplainCape MayNJFFSBelleplain 1921Steel
Active
Blue AnchorCamdenNJFFSWinslow WMgt area1924Info UA
Active
BordentownUnknownUnknownUnknownUnknownSteel
Western Union Communications, Aermotor fire tower type. This is included merely because of the “type” of tower
Bowen RdVernon NJPrivate UnknownUnknownOpen summit
Patrol point- Upper Section 2 area/ Orange County NY
Buckhorn Ridge*PikePAUnknownUnknown60' Steel Blawknox
Cooperative Pennsylvania fire tower with Culvers fire tower NJ; Graham fire tower Orange county New York also was a cooperative fire tower and was used last in 2002 during extreme fire behavior weather by NY State Forest Rangers                                 
Budd LakeMorrisNJFFSBudd lake1900-first, rebuilt 1924Tree, then Steel
Active
ButlerPassaicMunicipalButler1938Wood
Site
CatfishWarrenNJFFSNat’l Park1922Info UA
Active
Cedar BridgeOceanBarnegatN/A1924Steel
Moved
Cedar BridgeBurlingtonNJ Air Nat’l GuardCoyle Field, NJFFS1932Steel
Moved
Cedar BridgeOceanAscerdatenLacey twnshp1942Steel
Site
Cedar BridgeOceanGreenwood Forest WMLacey twnshp1983100' Steel, Int’n Derrick
Active
Cedar Bridge.OceanNJFFSGreenwood Forest1924, rebuilt 1985Info UA
Active
Culvers SussexNJFFSStokes1918 -first, rebuilt 1933Info UA
Active
Dias CreekCape MayNJFFSNJ Mosquito com. Land1945Info UA
Active
Dukes BridgeBurlingtonWoodlandUnknown1904Tripod
Info UA
Eagle PointMorrisUS ArmyUnknownN/AInfo UA
Earlier lookout at Picatinny Arsenal  Security/Fire
Earle Naval DepotMonmouthUS NavyUnknownUnknownInfo UA
Several guard,security,Fire lookouts on this base.No access
EdisonSussexThomas Edison propertySparta1920Steel
Moved
Egg HarborAtlanticN/AEgg Harbor1944Wood aux
Info UA
Erskine LookoutPassaicRingwood companyRingwood1915Wood
Burned
FarmingdaleMonmouthNJFFSUnknown192460’ steel
Aermotor, aka Throckmorten Hill, moved in 1960,Bear Swamp
Four MileBurlingtonPemberton4 mile rd19044 post
Info UA
Four MileBurlingtonUnknownUnknown1920’sSteel
There is a reference to a 60’ steel fire tower here;unconfirmed ; Site Nomination
Green PondMorrisUS ArmyUnknown194260’ Steel
Aermotor-built as a Security tower but used for Fire detection
GreystoneMorrisNJFFSCounty1937Info UA
Active
Haines MtnSussexUnknownSparta1905Pole
Site
High Knob*PikePAUnknownUnknown25' steel
Cooperative Pennsylvania fire tower with Catfish and Culvers, New Jersey
Horse HillPassaicRingwood companyWest Milford1908Wood
Info UA
JamesburgMiddlesexNJFFSCounty park1960Info UA
Active
Kuser EstateSussexPrivateUnknownUnknown50' Wood
This wood observation tower stood on the Kuser Estate, later becoming High Point State Park. It is said to have been used to spot fires during the bad years of 1908-1909. It is believed to have been located on or very near the present HIGH POINT Monument. Nominated NHLR
LakehurstOceanLakehurstUS NAVY1917Hanger
Remains
LakewoodOceanNJFFSState prop.1943Info UA
Active
LebanonBurlingtonNJFFSBrendan Byrne SF1950Steel
Active
Lower ForgeBurlingtonWashingtonN/A1900Tree
Info UA
MauricetownCumberlandprivateFire barnUnknownSteel 25’ Aermotor
Standing
McKee-townAtlanticNJFFSState prop.1917Steel
Active
MedfordBurlingtonNJFFSCamp/leased1940Info UA
Active
Middle townshipCape MayCountyUnknownUnknownSteel
Site of Dias Creek fire tower
MillvilleCumberlandNJFFSState prop.1920Info UA
Active
MiltonMorrisNJFFSCounty1937Info UA
Active
MizpahAtlanticNJFFSState prop.1924Info UA
Active
Mt Minsi PA*Northampton MonroePA Forest ServiceUnknownUnknownWood then 47' Steel
Although in Pennsylvania, Mt Minsi is included here because of it’s proximity to New Jersey and it’s expansive view of Sussex and Warren counties. It was an active fire tower cooperating with New Jersey’s tower system. It was removed in the 1970’s but the site still remains, seen from Mt Bethel on the Kittatiny Ridge above the Delaware Water Gap.
Old BridgeMiddlesexleasedPrivate prop1942Steel
Moved
Old SentinelEssexWatershedSteelUnknown100’ Standing
Abandoned
Old SterlingPassaicprivateRingwood19??Wood
Info UA
Penn ForestBurlingtonBass RiverSooey rd1900Tree/wood
Info UA
RamapoPassaicNJFFSRamapo1920-first, rebuilt 1983Info UA
Active
Retreat HillBurlingtonNJFFSUnknown193860’ steel
Big Hill Tower- moved in 1960 to Apple Pie Hill
Rocky HillMonmouthMunicipal60’ steelUnknownInfo UA
Possible site found
Schley mtnSomersetPrivate estatewoodUnknownInfo UA
Site now obliterated
Seward HillMorrisAT&TUnknownUnknown950’ ele
Patrol point for Section 7- no tower- open summit lookout
South MtnEssexCountyWoodUnknownUSGS
Site         
Sterling* Orange NYUnknownUnknown60' Steel
As above with PA,  Sterling tower in Sterling Forest State Park NY has historically been a cooperative fire tower with New Jersey, being only a short distance over the State line
Sunrise mtnSussexStateUnknownUnknownWood Pavilion
This is a roofed pavilion on the Kittatinny ridge and the Appalachian Trail. It is a vantage point to view Sussex County and is included here for that reason
TabernacleBurlingtonTabernacleUnknown1904Tripod
Info UA
Vineland SalemCold Storage bldg/roofPrivate prop.UnknownRoof Lookout
Info UA
Whites HillPassaicRingwood companyRingwood1908Wood
N/A
WindbeamPassaicRingwood CompanyWanaque  Reservoir1920Steel
Moved
WoodmansieBurlingtonLebanon SFPemberton1904Tripod
Info UA
WorthingtonSussexunknownPahaquarry1900Wood
Burned

Totals:

  • Total standing active - 21
  • Total standing inactive - 7
  • Total no longer standing - 46

Notes:

  • Individual Tower breakdowns will be added in the future
  • The Pennsylvania and New York cooperative towers are included in this list due to their historic role as being part of the overall "detection fabric" of Fire Detection in New Jersey.
  • NJ Tower Research by Bob Spear

Key:

Info UA - Information was unavailable at web posting time, but is likely available in the New Jersey Tower archives. If more information about any tower is desired, please contact Bob Spear.

* - Cooperative tower on the NJ border, but located outside of NJ.

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