Nature
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Olson Observation Tower stands in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest at the southern end of Backbone Mountain northeast of Parsons, on a long-used lookout site with sweeping views of the surrounding highlands. The site holds an important place in the state’s forestry history because West Virginia’s first fire tower was built here in 1922 and later transferred to the national forest. The present steel tower, erected in 1963, is one of the forest’s few remaining fire towers and is named for Ernst B. Olson in recognition of his 28 years of fire control and conservation service. Its 133-step walkway leads to panoramic views across nearby mountains, watersheds, and wilderness.
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West Virginia · United States