October 15, 1931: "The new Black Butte Lookout station on Shasta Forest is to be dedicated soon. DeWitt Nelson of the Shasta Forest will be the speaker." (Chronological History of the Klamath National Forest, Vol. IV, 1931-1940)
June 25, 1961: "Atop Black Butte, a huge cinder cone just six air miles from the summit of Mt. Shasta, is Cecelia Thompson of Dunsmuir, new to her job this year. She is perched in a glass enclosed 'home' about 15 feet square at an elevation of 6, 325 feet. Supplies reach her bi-weekly by pack horse over a 2.5 mile trail. Cecelia will spend the summer on duty 13 hours a day, seven days a week until autumn rains indicate the forests are no longer fire threatened." (Herald and News)
November 12, 1962: "The tornado-like winds of mid-October demolished Black Butte lookout north of Mt. Shasta; some of the public works funds will be used to prepare for reconstruction of this station." (Eureka Humboldt Standard)
December 23, 1962: "Contractors submitting bids on the Black Butte lookout in the Shasta Trinity National Forest on Dec. 20 have more than a routine job to figure. Black Butte, a geological misnomer, is a cone of volcanic rock about four air miles north of the city of Mount Shasta. Its summit is accessible only by a 2 1/2 mile trail which rises 2,000 feet above the corral at the end of the dirt road. Bid invitations sent out Nov. 26 from the San Francisco headquarters of the National Forest Service specify a steel and glass structure built on a concrete block base to replace the lookout built in 1931. This original building blew away during the Columbus Day storm in October. Some of the materials from the wind-destroyed lookout have been salvaged from the base of a cliff 100 feet below, but the roof of the building is still not located even though air reconnaissance was used following the storm. While the trail is traversible only by foot, pack horse, or mule, the bid specifications call attention to the possible use of helicopter. It states, 'Helispot is located 140 feet north of the building site and is 25 feet lower in elevation. The helispot is suitable for all types of helicopters, but larger units are more desirable since the elevation is 6344 feet.' The helispot had to be built below the summit since the vary top provides space only for the 13 x 13 foot lookout foundation. Work on the new building is scheduled to begin as soon as weather conditions permit in the spring. Normally forest service personnel try to open the trail in late May or early June. It usually takes a five man crew several days to clear rock slides caused by winter weather." (Herald and News)
July 30, 1963: "The Black Butte Lookout Station, which was destroyed by the Columbus Day storm last October, is now back in service. It was rebuilt with the aid of a helicopter to carry men and supplies to the mountain-top. The lookout, Mrs. Mildred Weston, reports that much of the storm damage to the forests is still visible." (Herald and News)
July 31, 1963: "Tony, the packhorse. a venerable veteran of the U.S. Forest Service, died of old age last week. Tony was over 27 years old, but because he was gentle, dependable, and reasonably good health and spirits, he continued to perform his duties until his death at the Black Butte corral on Friday. He had taken his last trip the day before over the rugged trail to the newly completed lookout building atop Black Butte. With the same surefooted ease that had made him a favorite of Sacramento district personnel in the Shasta Trinity National Forest, he transported Mildred Weston of Corning to her lookout assignment over two and a half miles of steep, rocky trail." (Herald and News)
Moved to the lookout site on Hogback Mountain.
National Geodetic Survey
DESIGNATION - BLACK BUTTE LOOKOUT HOUSE PID - MX1038 STATE/COUNTY- CA/SISKIYOU COUNTRY - US USGS QUAD - CITY OF MOUNT SHASTA (1986) STATION DESCRIPTION
DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1952 (WRH) THE STATION IS LOCATED ABOUT 4 MILES AIRLINE SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF WEED, 4 MILES AIRLINE NORTH NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT SHASTA, AND 1/2 MILE EAST OF U.S. HIGHWAY 99, ON THE HIGHEST POINT OF BLACK BUTTE.
THE LOOKOUT HOUSE IS A STANDARD U.S. FOREST SERVICE LOOKOUT HOUSE THAT IS ABOUT 12 FEET SQUARE AND ABOUT 15 FEET HIGH. IT IS 75.1 FEET, 22.9 METERS NORTHWEST OF STATION BLACK BUTTE. THE CENTER OF THE ROOF WAS INTERSECTED.