GRAFTON, NY (WRGB) — The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has completed restoration work and installed new interpretive signage at the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower in Grafton Lakes State Park. Park staff, volunteers and community members gathered at the fire tower on October 26, 2025 to recognize those who worked on the project.
The preservation work included repairing all 80 tower steps as well as the entire cab and platform decking, replacing protective safety wire around the entire structure, and repainting the tower. New interpretive panels detail the fire tower’s history and the unique geology of the Rensselaer Plateau. An updated map also provides location information for the park’s numerous amenities and trails, including the 1.5-mile hike from the North Long Pond Road parking area to the fire tower.
“I began my management career at Grafton when the fire tower was handed over to NYS Parks in 2012,” said Grafton Lakes Park Manager Melissa Miller. “Now 13 years later, I’m excited and humbled people are still dedicated to preserving, interpreting and celebrating this iconic structure. Thank you to all those who give their time, effort and knowledge to ensure the tower remains a relevant part of the region’s story and the park’s history.”
The fire tower preservation work was funded in part by a $9,256 Parks & Trails New York grant secured by the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park.
“Fire towers like Dickinson Hill connect us to New York’s conservation roots while offering some of the best views in the state,” Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York Paul Steely White said. “It’s inspiring to see these historic sites gaining new life, and we’re proud to help the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park keep this incredible landmark thriving.”
The 60-foot-tall steel frame lookout tower was built in 1924 and staffed daily by observers who scanned the horizon for the first signs of wildfire. Using a tool called an alidade, a rotating map mounted to a pedestal, observers could pinpoint smoke and report fires before they spread. The fire tower remained in service until 1972. After being shuttered for years, the tower was fully restored by the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park and reopened as a recreational destination in 2012.
Now a popular hiking destination with spectacular views of the Adirondack Mountains, Green Mountains, Helderberg Escarpment and the Taconic Range, the tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. It is the last remaining fire tower in Rensselaer County. An interpretive trail with educational panels highlights the tower’s history.
The fire tower’s legacy continues through the Volunteer Fire Tower Steward Program, run in partnership with Grafton Lakes State Park and the New York Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association. Much like their predecessors who climbed the hill to protect the surrounding forest, today’s Stewards hike to the tower to welcome visitors, interpret the structure’s history and share knowledge about local ecology. Their work ensures the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower remains a symbol of forest protection and a link to the past. Learn how to become a Fire Tower Steward by emailing GraftonLakesVolunteers@parks.ny.gov.