National Register of Historic Places
Mineral Peak Lookout
Missoula vicinity, Missoula County, Montana
The record
- Listed
- February 2, 2018
- Type
- Building
- Address
- Mineral Peak, Lolo National Forest, Missoula vicinity
- County
- Missoula
- State
- Montana
- Contributing resources
- 1 building
- Coordinates
- 47.00351, -113.81329
- Reference number
- 100002042
USGS Historical Topographic Map CollectionUSGS Historical Topographic Map Collection
The story
Written by AI from this property's National Register nomination and the record above; every sentence is checked against its sources before it appears here. Corrections: privacy@treealive.com
The Mineral Peak Lookout is a fire lookout on Mineral Peak in the Lolo National Forest, near Missoula, Montana. It was built in 1957 by Alvin F. McClure to a 1936-plan L-4 Lookout House design.
Why it's listed
It was listed under criteria A and C, with state and local significance in architecture, conservation, engineering and politics/government. Its significance runs from 1957, when it was built, to 1967, when it was manned as a lookout point.
Physical character
The lookout is a 14-foot by 14-foot wood-frame cab with weatherboard and glass walls and V-Rustic siding, set on a four-section tower reached by a four-flight stairway, and topped by a pyramidal roof over fir flooring. A 2005 restoration tightened the tower's bolts, braced the guy wires, and re-hung the door; in 2012 a contractor reinstalled the lightning protection, and a cedar shingle roof was installed.
Historical context
The Wood Fabricating Company of Portland shipped materials for the lookout in 1956, and the Lolo National Forest built it in 1957. Montana Power Company leased the site in 1966, and it was downgraded to emergency status by 1974. It sat vacant from 1980 until a 2005 restoration, and in 2012 it served as a destination for hikers and backpackers.