Fire has left its mark on Waterboro, with the great fire of 1947 shaping the town’s identity and scarring its collective memory. Surrounding towns, too, felt the impact of the flames and joined Waterboro in building fire companies after the massive forest fire swept the town and destroyed homes, schools and camps in its path.
Now the Ossipee Hill fire tower, a landmark that played a role in this historic event, is threatened as the Maine Forest Service appears to be seeking to end its ownership of the structure. Forest Ranger Gregg Hesslein was in Waterboro last week to discuss the future of the tower, looking for the town to take on its maintenance and ownership.
Sanford and York will be facing similar decisions in the near future, as the Maine Forest Service also owns the Mount Hope tower in Sanford and Mount Agamenticus tower in York.
Those towers, too, have played important roles in firefighting history in York County and still provide spectacular views of their respective regions. Sanford and York will each have to make their own decisions on the fate of those towers, but for Waterboro, which was so heavily impacted by the fire of 1947, the Ossipee Hill tower has special significance.
It would be a shame for this sentinel of Waterboro’s history to fade into memory for lack of interest. As Waterboro Historical Society President Jim Carll noted last week, the tower is a “part of the town.” The tower itself was first erected in 1918, and replaced after it burned on Oct. 20, 1947 during the massive fire. Its historical significance is enough to have earned it a place on the National Historic Lookout Register, which also includes the Sanford and York towers, and the town has even recognized its importance by placing it on the town seal.
Whether it’s the Town of Waterboro or another entity that takes it over, the Ossipee Hill fire tower should not be left forgotten, especially when it is still in use.
Though the Forest Service no longer staffs the towers with wardens, Waterboro’s is still manned by a volunteer, Jason L’Heureux, on high fire danger days, which is a testament to the tower’s importance. Although wardens now use planes to scout for smoke in the woods, sometimes weather conditions make it dangerous to fly, so the tower is still relied upon by the town.
The tower is a great way to give new generations a connection to one of the most important events in the town’s history.
It may not be easy to transfer ownership of the tower, since the land on which it sits is privately owned, and finding an entity to take it on may be challenging. The state would also have to approve the transfer. The expense of insurance and maintenance on a structure of this magnitude could also be considerable, though no figures are currently available, and the historical society has already said it has neither the man power nor the funds to take it on.
However, while it may take a lot of fundraising by a private group or political will from the town, we hope the Waterboro Land Trust, which has expressed interest, or a new group of concerned locals comes forward to form a “Save the Tower” effort as Selectman Dennis Abbott has suggested. The sentiment throughout town is clear: The tower is an important landmark that should be maintained, not dismantled.
If the townspeople come together the way they did during that infamous fire, saving this landmark will be a breeze, and their efforts will become another piece of history of which the town can be proud.
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