Ferdinand

Information

Names: Ferdinand

Location: Ferdinand State Forest

County: Dubois (the only tower in this county)

Topo quad: Saint Anthony

Condition: Standing; climbable up into the cab

Maps

Saint Anthony topo quad, 1955

Links

Ferdinand State Forest trails map PDF

Living New Deal page for Ferdinand State Forest Fire Tower

NGS datasheet for FERDINAND LOOKOUT TOWER and for nearby FERD marks

FFLA Indiana Chapter 2009 annual report has an update from Teena Ligman about this tower — its restoration and its history

Data

History

Ferdinand State Forest was started in 1933-1934, according to this article in the February 1983 OI. The tower was constructed in 1935.

There were two locations, according to two sources.

• The February 1983 OI article mentions that the fire tower was erected, and then “There is some debate whether the tower was erected and then later moved to its present location, or whether plans were changed after the foundations were laid. (The foundations are visible near Firelane #1.)”
• Teena Ligman did an interview with the Ferdinand property manager in 2009 who told her: “I do know that this was the second tower site at Ferdinand. The first one was about 1/2 to 3/4 a mile southeast of the present site. The original site had a towerman’s cabin nearby but I was told the tower was only there for a couple of years. I was never able to confirm if the same tower was moved or if a new one was erected.