Telescope Hill
Encyclopedia
Telescope Hill, at 334 feet (101.8 m), is the highest point of elevation in the Town of Brookhaven
, on Long Island
, New York
, United States
. The hill is located at the end of Tower Hill Ave., on the border of the ZIP code
s of the hamlets of Selden
and Farmingville
, and west of Bald Hill
.
Notably, Telescope Hill was the site of a fire observation station operated by the New York State Conservation Commission and later the Conservation Department from 1918 to 1959.
s were constructed on Long Island to aid in the fighting of wildfires. The first constructed was on Telescope Hill in the fall of 1918 (only two were constructed that year), and went into operation in March 1919. The tower was a 60 foot Aermotor LS40 model, with a cab placed on top. The Telescope Hill tower reported 120 fires between March 17 and June 15, 1919.
Visitors were invited to climb the tower and enjoy the view.
The first fire observer was Al Lucas, who served for two years, followed by Frank Forsyth, who served until 1948. Starting in 1922, the Suffolk County fire observers were supervised by State District Fire Ranger Clarence Dare of Selden.
During World War II
, a new cab was built below the original cab to be used for fire watching, and the original was used by Civil Defense observers. Nazi "U-Boats" were spotted three times from Telescope Hill, one of which was captured after being spotted.
As suburban growth spread through the area and fire tower use began to decline across the country, the State ended its support of fire towers on Long Island after the 1959 season. The Telescope Hill tower was removed in 1960.
.
Brookhaven, New York
The Town of Brookhaven is one of the ten towns into which Suffolk County, New York, United States, has been divided. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located in central Suffolk County and is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long...
, on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The hill is located at the end of Tower Hill Ave., on the border of the ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s of the hamlets of Selden
Selden, New York
Selden is a hamlet in the town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 21,861 at the 2000 census.-Early Settlement:...
and Farmingville
Farmingville, New York
Farmingville is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 16,458 at the 2000 census.Farmingville is in the Town of Brookhaven...
, and west of Bald Hill
Bald Hill (Farmingville, New York)
Bald Hill, located in the hamlet of Farmingville, New York, part of the Town of Brookhaven, is one of the highest areas of elevation on Long Island. The highest elevation in the Bald Hill area is . Though local residents often claim it to be the highest point on Long Island, that honor actually...
.
Notably, Telescope Hill was the site of a fire observation station operated by the New York State Conservation Commission and later the Conservation Department from 1918 to 1959.
Geology
As with the Bald Hill area, Telescope Hill is part of the Ronkonkoma Moraine, which runs east to west along the center of the Town of Brookhaven, and marks where the glacier which formed Long Island stopped its advance.Fire Lookout Tower
Beginning in 1918, a series of fire lookout towerFire lookout tower
A fire lookout tower, fire tower or lookout tower, provides housing and protection for a person known as a "fire lookout" whose duty it is to search for wildfires in the wilderness...
s were constructed on Long Island to aid in the fighting of wildfires. The first constructed was on Telescope Hill in the fall of 1918 (only two were constructed that year), and went into operation in March 1919. The tower was a 60 foot Aermotor LS40 model, with a cab placed on top. The Telescope Hill tower reported 120 fires between March 17 and June 15, 1919.
Visitors were invited to climb the tower and enjoy the view.
The first fire observer was Al Lucas, who served for two years, followed by Frank Forsyth, who served until 1948. Starting in 1922, the Suffolk County fire observers were supervised by State District Fire Ranger Clarence Dare of Selden.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a new cab was built below the original cab to be used for fire watching, and the original was used by Civil Defense observers. Nazi "U-Boats" were spotted three times from Telescope Hill, one of which was captured after being spotted.
As suburban growth spread through the area and fire tower use began to decline across the country, the State ended its support of fire towers on Long Island after the 1959 season. The Telescope Hill tower was removed in 1960.
Radio Tower
Telescope Hill currently host radio tower facilities at its summit, including the tower that broadcasts WALK-FMWALK-FM
WALK-FM, known on-air as "WALK 97.5," is a radio station on Long Island with an adult contemporary format. Located on 97.5 FM, the station is licensed to Patchogue, New York...
.