Pinnacle Mountain Newsletter

 

Kathy Johnson

June 2006   Issue 16

 

 

 

 

  Here it is the first of June and the months have flown by.  Our annual meeting is right on top of us. So, Mark your calendars for July 15th at 11:00 am at the Gilkey Community Center.    We will be looking to see you there.  Bring a food dish and/or dessert with you.   It is important to participate in the decisions that affect our Mountain Community.

 

I want to thank the Board of Directors, which has supported me over the past year, the work that has been accomplished by the Architectural Committee and the Road Committee, and thank you, Kathy Johnson for your part in preparing the Pinnacle Mountain Newsletter.

 

Thanks, Robert Graham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Presidents Message…

In your area…

Cook’s Corner…
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


President’s

Message…

 

 

 

 

 

 

   There is an unusual mountain in Rutherford County. It is the tallest in the northern part of the county. On the top is a flat area about half the size of a football field. The top is clear; no trees but it supports an old deserted fire tower. The mountain is called Pinnacle and the tower is called Pinnacle Firetower.

   The Pinnacle Firetower is not on National Forest Land and is privately owned. The tower was erected to send an alarm to the surrounding areas in the event of a forest fire. It is the only privately owed fire tower in the state of North Carolina. The Tower was erected in the early 1900’s. The Land was leased to the North Carolina Forest Service for 100 years. Lots of people though the Tower was named the White House
 
 


    

 
IN YOUR AREA…

 

Pinnacle Firetower

 

 

 

   I would like to express my sincere Thanks to the people who have provided facts, memories and articles pertaining to the history of the Pinnacle Firetower…

  Mr. Cecil Stott

  Mrs. Evelyn Conner

  Mrs. Edith Hill Arrowood

  Mrs. Virginia Wilson

  Mr. Fred Harris

  Miss Nancy Ferguson

  Rutherford County Library

  Rutherford County Forest Ranger
 
 

 

 

The Pinnacle Mountain Firetower  

 

 

 

Firetower because to get to the tower, you had to go through the White House Community. The tower was manned from roughly October 15th to May 15th which is typically the Wildfire Season. Like most Towers, the first tower was made of wood and later of steel. Mr. Cecil Stott’s uncle,

BB Stott manned the tower from 1900’s to 1940’s. He lived at the foot of the Pinnacle in            

A small one room shack about twelve by sixteen feet in area, having no facilities. He carried his rations up the steep mountain in a tow sack, water supply in a five gallon can and kept it filled from a spring at the foot of the mountain at Old Bud Arrowood’s Place. He came down the mountain once a week or when it rained to re-
 

 

supply. 

  When BB Stott retired, the Forest Ranger asked Mr. Roy Hill if he knew of anyone that could work the Tower. Mr. Hill stated that his wife Edith could for she was not working and needed to work. Per Mrs. Edith Hill Arrowood, the Forest Ranger made the …

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            


 

  County Fire Department would bring shovels, buckets and their strength. They were a strong and brave group of men but when there was a fire, all able bodied folks came to help Per Cecil Stott, there were three ways to get to the Pinnacle. The main route was up Chalk Creek Road at the Lum Arrowood House. This was a small winding road that cars could travel but most people walked. The second route was off the Tite Run Road up the Queen Gap Road. The third and most traveled was from the Miles Stott home on Painters Gap Road. This is where folks

would usually leave their cars and
 

 

Statement that women didn’t do that kind of work. Ms. Edith then asked the Ranger why not and the Ranger went back to the main office and told the workers that he had someone to work the tower. Ms. Edith was hired and worked the tower for 20 years. She stated that her duties were to watch the area during the Wildfire Season. If smoke was seen, she was to report the location to the fire warden, which was the Rutherfordton County Fire Department (operated by volunteers). The Rutherfordton

 
 


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Cooks Corner

Mrs. Evelyn Conner’s Best Biscuits in Rutherford County NC

 

2 cups unbleached self rising flour, White Lilly flour with the Red Label. Sift after measuring.

¾ cup whole milk –lukeward

2 tablespoons Crisco Butter Flavored Shortening

 

Crumb shortening into flour with a fork.

Add milk and kneed.

Roll out fingernail thick and cut with biscuit cutter

Bake preheated oven 475* 12 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

walk the steep walk up to the tower.  The tower was a favorite meeting place for the Easter Sunrise Service. Per Miss Nancy Ferguson (which by the way is Rutherford County Historian and lives in Union Mills),

  Every Easter Sunday, people from all over would gather at the Pinnacle Firetower to worship and socialized.

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

   

 

 The towers duties are complete, urbanization and cellular phones and satellites now do the job in reporting fires. But the Pinnacle Fire Tower still stand and there are people who remember and remember well.

The 100 year lease on the Land of Pinnacle expired in the year 2000.

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