Flattop Lookout Site
US 1315, WA 215

Lookout Details

Registry Numbers US 1315, WA 215 (view other lookout sites in United States, Washington)
Date Registered June 23, 2012
Nominated by Ray Kresek
Location Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Skamania County, Washington
Coordinates N 46° 01.657' W 121° 36.728' (view using Google Maps)
N 46° 01' 39" W 121° 36' 44"
N 46.027610° W 121.612130°
Elevation 4,394 ft (1,339 m)
National Historic Lookout Register US 188, WA 23
Administered by U.S. Forest Service

Description

Flattop's broad summit has had one of the most interesting and unique collections of structures than any other. About 1921, a 16x20' frame house was constructed on the east end of the summit, but was moved to the west end 1/4 mile away in 1930. About this time a 7x7' frame cab was built in the east end, replaced in 1933 by an L-5 cab. In 1934, two screened porches and an observation cupola were added to the west end cabin. Then in 1946, a prototype 2-story 14x14' frame cab with slanted windows and curved hip roof was constructed. It was to become the next generation lookout around the Pacific Northwest, but the R-6 flat cab later became the standard. Thus, it is the only one of this style ever built. The site was abandoned in 1960, and the cabin on the west side was destroyed. The east side lookout withstood vandalism and countless threats by the landowner (DNR) to tear it down until 2005 when the FFLA dismantled it and relocated the cab to the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center in Entiat.

Map

Change Basemap

Photos

Flattop West

Flattop West

Flattop East in 1946

Flattop East in 1946

Flattop at the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center in 2010

Flattop at the Columbia Breaks Fire Interpretive Center in 2010