Historic Fire Towers lit up the night sky all across New York State over Labor Day Weekend. Among the sites joining in the 10th Annual Light The Night event this past Saturday was the newly reconstructed Makomis Fire Tower in the Village of Speculator.
It was one of more than 30 historic fire towers statewide that participated.
A special night to pay homage to fire observers who at the turn of the last century would stand watch in the towers protecting their community and surrounding forest lands.
It also showcases the history of fire towers around the state.
The Makomis Fire Tower was the first steel fire tower set in New York State and the Adirondacks in the town of North Hudson in 1916. It remained there until it was decommissioned in 1973 and taken down in 1978. The tower was later acquired by George Barber, who kept it in the yard of his home in the City of Plattsburgh for more than 30 years until it found its new home in Speculator.
Watch the story we did last summer on the reconstruction of the Makomis Fire Tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq_wljOepIM