James T Saban Lookout

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Formerly known as the High Park Lookout, it was renamed in honor of James Torrey Saban, who died in the line of duty in 1937 while fighting the Blackwater fire.
Fire detection and suppression have been priority work for the United States Forest Service from its beginning in 1905.
In the 1920’s and 1930’s, the Forest Service began building access roads, communication systems, and received equipment and manpower to effectively control fires. Suppression however, still depended on early detection. In the technology of the time, this required manned lookout stations on most National Forests.
The Civilian Conservation Corps built several fires lookouts in the Bighorn Mountains. Three of these remain today, but are only manned in seasons with the highest fire danger levels.
This is one such station. The lookout was the summer home of an individual or couple who kept watch for and reported signs of fire. They also had time for wildlife watching, and during summer storms watched spectacular natural “fireworks” as lightning struck the surrounding peaks. The station stood protected by grounded points that drained the static electricity from the lookout.
www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/bighorn/recarea/?recid=30452