Wayah Bald Tower Restoration

Since its retirement from service in 1945, the fire tower on Wayah Bald has attracted more than people seeking an amazing 360-degree view of the Nantahala National Forest. It’s now a popular spot for something less picturesque—years’ worth of graffiti that, while creative, present a challenge to the preservation this historic site.  

That’s why a combined group of JobCorps students and HistoriCorps volunteers recently teamed up with the Nantahala Ranger District to remove years of hardened on paint from the base of the stone structure.

“We have four young students here, and I hope that they come away with this having had a good time and learning something,” said Ken Follet, the onsite Masonry Specialist hired by HistoriCorps to instruct the students and oversee the restoration work.

Wayah Bald Lookout Tower’s long and storied history began in the 1920s, when the Forest Service recognized that Wayah Bald’s wide angle of view and high elevation made the location the perfect spot for a fire watch post. Eventually, around 1929, a wooden fire tower was erected, followed by the construction of a stone lookout tower constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935. This new tower was created using quarry stone and topped with an oak roof for a total height of 53 feet. On September 6th, 1937, this tower was finally opened to the public, and was dedicated to a former Forest Supervisor, Mr. John B. Byrne.

This new tower collected imperfections over the years and was retired in 1945. To once again honor John B. Byrne, the tower was restored in 1983, and continued to be maintained by the Forest Service. The most recent alteration to the structure included replacing the wooden roof, which was damaged during a 2016 wildfire.

 “We’re very excited to be able to perform restoration work on this important piece of Forest Service history, and grateful to HistoriCorps for making it happen!” Kelsey Schmitz, Nantahala Zone Archeologist said. “HistoriCorps was able to provide funding for the project through partnership with the JobCorps program, and this was the perfect opportunity given how close the LBJ center is to the work sites.”

While the historic preservation of the lookout tower was the main impetus for this collaboration, the project also served as an exciting learning experience for JobCorps students.

JobCorps is a no-cost educational and vocational training program designed to help young people between the ages of 16-24 complete their high school education and train for future careers, with the goal of obtaining a job at the completion of the program. The JobCorps program has been running for more than 50 years and is free to low-income students. For this project in particular, the students were enrolled in the JobCorps masonry program where they gain hands-on experience in brick laying. During this project, however, the students were able to participate in a unique opportunity to learn and practice historic preservation techniques alongside HistoriCorps professionals.

Antanneya Belton and Amenia Neal, two of the masonry students on-site, agreed that JobCorps is a wonderful organization with a lot of opportunities, and that the program is not just for people who come from adversity but anyone looking for a chance. Antanneya said, “I feel like you should look at JobCorps as housing, but also as an opportunity to better yourself and get a career.” Amenia agreed, stating “…being here, I’ve really grown as a person, with my communication, my thought processes, my planning, money budgeting. I’ve learned so much, not just from JobCorps, but from the people that are in JobCorps as well.”

After completing their work at the Wayah Bald Lookout Tower, the crew made their way down to Wilson Lick Ranger Station, another historic Forest Service site located just minutes down the road.  Originally erected in 1916 and the wood cabin served as the first ranger station for the Nantahala National Forest. In the decades since it’s construction, the structure has served multiple purposes, such as a base camp, office, living quarters, and training facility. The exterior of the cabin has also changed over the years, The goal of this portion of the project was to help restore the cabin’s main chimney by removing vines and repairing degraded sections of the stone column with mortar. Hopefully, thanks to the partnership with HistoriCorps and the hard work of the JobCorps students, this important landmark can continue to stand for another hundred years.