Office of Development
Goodnow Firetower Campaign
THE CHALLENGE
The project requires both immediate needs for the roof and cabin on the Goodnow Mountain
Fire Tower at Newcomb Campus and repair to the foundation structure for long-term
stability. After nearly a century of standing guard, the roof has been damaged from
storms and is unstable. Because of its condition, access to the cab on top of the
Tower is closed until repairs can be made.
The project has two phases for materials and labor including staging of materials
on the mountaintop.
THE SOLUTION
Stabilize the Roof: $12,000Repair / Replace Windows: $8,000
Total Phase I: $20,000
Replace worn foundation, paint: $75,000
Total Phase I: $75,000
Total Project Estimate: $95,000
UPDATE
To date, the campaign has raised nearly $15,000 in donations. Thank you to all of the college supporters, community partners, fire tower friends, and everyone for making a real impact.
Take a moment and enjoy stunning drone footage of the Fire Tower during the peak of the fall foliage season.
Perspective is everything. Sometimes... clarity, answers, insights depend on your view, your location, and the access you have to the entire picture. The Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower has provided this perspective for thousands of hikers, scientists and Adirondack nature enthusiasts for nearly a century. The tower enables visitors to see and experience the Adirondack landscape in new ways. Today, its very existence - and the benefits it intrinsically offers - are at risk.
After standing for 98 years, the 60-foot high metal structure with a cab on top needs repair. The tower was erected in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks in 1922 to enable the state to monitor for fires that could devastate the North Country's forests and villages. Since then, the tower has served scientists conducting research in a variety of areas. The tower is also heavily used by educators, who leverage its spectacular location to help students gain broader and deeper perspectives of the natural world.
For decades, the Goodnow Mountain Fire Tower has been open for unparalleled 360-degree viewing. More than 5,000 people annually sign into the Goodnow Mountain Register. A destination for many explorers, the tower is used by ESF and other university faculty, student clubs from various colleges and universities, K-12 school groups, and visitors exploring montane ecology, forest management and history and other topics.
