Information
Names: Skyline
Location: Jackson-Washington State Forest, originally Jackson County State Forest or Jackson State Forest
County: Jackson
Topo quad: Vallonia
Condition: Standing, climbable up into cab
Subjective: Great tower
Maps
Vallonia topo quad, 1959. (I think the word Miller on this topo is just the name of a nearby mark named after an orchard owned by a Miller, and has little to do with the tower.)
Indiana Geological & Water Survey TM03 map
Links
NGS datasheet for mark SKYLINE LOOKOUT TOWER (JA1670) and nearby MILLER (JA1669)
Data
| Coordinates | Map | Latitude | Longitude |
| Mine (unofficial) | 38.84325 | -86.035576 | |
| NHLR | Google map | N 38° 50.595′ | W 086° 02.135′ |
| NGS JA1670 data sheet | Google map | 38 50 36.52023(N) | 086 02 08.29358(W) |
The alidade from Skyline
The alidade (fire finder) from Skyline is on display at the Morgan-Monroe State Forest nature center.
The Houston tower site is the only other tower I could see on this alidade’s map, to the northwest of Skyline which is at the center. Not visible in these photos. (I have more photos, just haven’t uploaded them here.)
History of Skyline
The JA1669 nearby MILLER mark datasheet starts surprisingly early, in 1914. Its updates in 1914 and 1931 do not mention a tower. Its 1935 update does mention a “FOREST RESERVE OBSERVATION TOWER”.
The 1946 description from the NGS datasheet for JA1670 mentions the tower.
Acquisition of land in Washington County is said to begin in the 1950s.
Above: This article states that Jackson State Forest was created in 1931. Quote: “Originally the tract was acquired for the purpose of erecting a fire tower”.
This June-July 1967 OI article describes Skyline Drive in detail and mentions the fire tower. Interestingly, the article states that people may climb the tower, suggesting that the tower is open to the public and is no longer being used for fire detection.
Personal photos
