Fire in the Piney Woods : Texas lookout towers, the forest service, and the Civilian Conservation Corps / Edward Cavallerano.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cavallerano, Edward, 1980- author.

Series:

Texas experience (Texas A & M University Press)

The Texas experience

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Forest fires--Texas, East--Prevention and control.

Forest fires.

Fire lookout stations--Texas, East--History.

Fire lookout stations.

Fire lookout stations--Texas, East--Design and construction.

Fire prevention--Texas--History.

Fire prevention.

Forests and forestry--Texas, East--Safety measures.

Forests and forestry.

Forest management--Texas, East.

Forest management.

Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)--History.

Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.).

Physical Description:

ix, 361 pages : illustrations (some color), maps (some color) ; 27 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

College Station : Texas A&M University Press, [2025]

Summary:

"Fire lookout towers are enjoying a retrospective rebirth, attracting the curious and the adventurous, as Americans seeking escape for moments of solitude rediscover the structures' national significance. Though the Civilian Conservation Corps' national fire control policies and reforestation efforts have been covered elsewhere, each state's legacy is as unique as its people, forest conditions, traditions, and legislative history. In Texas, what emerges is a story that shaped national policies and examines the ethos of a generation. Edward Cavallerano's Fire in the Piney Woods develops several parallel stories. The first describes the Piney Woods and the antecedent conditions that necessitated fire prevention, forest fire detection, and the development of Texas' fire lookout network. Second, through collected stories, poetry, and primary accounts, it pays tribute to a generation of Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees, foresters, surveyors, and dedicated, self-sufficient lookouts who redeveloped or protected the forestlands of Texas and educated rural communities about the value of their natural resources. Finally, it describes the location and design of the lookout towers and associated structures in Texas by consolidating a decade of observations. In this effort, Cavallerano introduces methodologies to assess tower characteristics that may be useful to workers in other regions. Taken together, the book shares an appreciation of the past and celebrates the heritage these sites still possess. Fire in the Piney Woods preserves the history of forest fire protection in Texas, enhances readers' recreational experiences, and builds a compelling case among Texans to preserve the lookout towers that still stand"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Introduction

The Breaking Wave: Forestry in Texas

Neutral Ground: Geography and Climate

Forest Protection and Fire Control

Cussed and Discussed: The 1920s

Come Up Sometime: The 1930s

Chestley Dickens and Betty Huffman: The 1940s

Guardians of the Piney Woods: The 1950s

Unit 308: The 1960s

A Lot of Smoke but No Fire: The 1970s

Potshots or Pearls: The 1980s

Epilogue

Appendix 1. Beaumont Quadrangle

Appendix 2. Palestine Quadrangle

Appendix 3. Tyler Quadrangle

Appendix 4. Texarkana Quadrangle

Appendix 5. Lost Pines

Appendix 6. Pier Dimensions

Notes.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781648432811

1648432816

OCLC:

1481707986

Publisher Number:

90102019382