Early in W.A. Smith's crafting of Laurel Park, sightseers could trek up Echo Mountain to an observation tower just above Crystal Spring. At 2600 feet above sea level, Park Heights Tower offered an unobstructed panoramic bird's-eye view of the Hendersonville valley and beyond. Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi, was a favorite view through the four-foot-long "looking glass." The addition of the Swiss Railway's upper terminus in 1905 made it an even more popular destination for visitors to Laurel Park. Electric lights outlined the structure, making the tower a beacon from downtown Hendersonville.