American Essence

Wayah Bald Observation Tower: In the Nantahala National Forest

In this installment of ‘History Off the Beaten Path,’ we stand atop a historic stone structure in the Western North Carolina mountains.
Wayah Bald Observation Tower: In the Nantahala National Forest
The views of the Nantahala Forest and the surrounding Appalachian mountains are a sight to behold on the Wayah Bald Fire Tower. Deena Bouknight
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In the early 1900s, fire towers in the United States were constructed of wood. Over time, steel eventually replaced many wood structures. Even fewer were constructed of stone. Yet, perched atop a summit in Western North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest is a mostly stone edifice once used by rangers to spot wildfires.
The large stone edifice was one of the major fire towers in the region. (Deena Bouknight)
The large stone edifice was one of the major fire towers in the region. Deena Bouknight
Deena Bouknight
Deena Bouknight
Author
A 30-plus-year writer-journalist, Deena C. Bouknight works from her Western North Carolina mountain cottage and has contributed articles on food culture, travel, people, and more to local, regional, national, and international publications. She has written three novels, including the only historical fiction about the East Coast’s worst earthquake. Her website is DeenaBouknightWriting.com