Almost in the Clouds! The Story of the Miskimon Fire Tower, Miskimon, VA

This is the history of the Miskimon Fire Tower, known variously as the Lancaster-Northumberland Fire Lookout Tower or the Northumberland-Lancaster Fire Lookout Tower on the Northern Neck of Virginia. It was built in 1938 and served the local communities for around 50 years. The story is not only about this skeleton of steel and wood but of the women and men and their experiences as fire lookouts or fire spotters in this tower of around 100 feet. The tower and its spotters are important reflections of a part of American history. This Tower, like the many other towers throughout the United States, helped in the protection of a most valuable commodity: our forests. The book contains experiences reflected by those who worked in this Tower as well as pictures, both old and recent, that document the building, use and unfortunately the decay of some towers.

This is the history of the Miskimon Fire Tower, known variously as the Lancaster-Northumberland Fire Lookout Tower or the Northumberland-Lancaster Fire Lookout Tower on the Northern Neck of Virginia. It was built in 1938 and served the local communities for around 50 years. The story is not only about this skeleton of steel and wood but of the women and men and their experiences as fire lookouts or fire spotters in this tower of around 100 feet. The tower and its spotters are important reflections of a part of American history. This Tower, like the many other towers throughout the United States, helped in the protection of a most valuable commodity: our forests. Chapter One of this book gives a brief summary of firefighting and fire insurance. After all the Tower was also a form of insurance, since the spotting of a fire when it was initially easier to contain might insure against it becoming a spreading, destructive conflagration. Because the function of any fire tower is to allow the spotting of smoke and flame, thereby to ultimately save forests and lives, whether human or animal, Chapter Two presents how the need for such towers developed in the United States as well as in Virginia in the latter part of the 19th century and into the 20th century. Once the advantages of fire towers were clearly recognized by politicians and the general public, their construction reached its heyday. The remaining Chapters are devoted almost entirely to the Miskimon Tower: its construction; its uses; the other towers with which it might have had radio contact in the surrounding counties; and the experiences of those working and living near the Tower. There are certainly places in these chapters where experiences, comparisons and descriptions from other towers are included. In addition, there are pictures, both old and recent, that document the building, use and unfortunately the decay of some of these towers.

Susan Anthony-Tolbert, Professor Emeritus, is a native of Scranton, Pa. She received her doctorate in Social Psychology from Temple University and served as a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Undergraduate Psychology Program during a tenure of thirty years at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She has numerous publications in psychology journals as well as having authored textbooks in personality, social psychology, cross-cultural psychology and observational methods. She has worked in clinical and rehab settings as a psychologist. Music has always played an important part in her life. Currently, she is a free-lance harpist, guitarist and marimbaist with CDs selling both locally and nationally. In addition, Susan has been a lifelong equine, feline and canine enthusiast. She has written several books for children and the young at heart including "And the Purple Pig Played Piccolo; Fanny-Grace: Herself the Harp; McCue, My Wonder Horse; Snow Prince: The Magic Christmas Pony of Heathsville, Virginia" as well as adult novels such as "When the Red Jacket Sings; Harmonic; Tin Noses, Tim Roses: Love Stories from World War One; Woman to Woman: Two Novellas of Friends and Enemies; and Signs, Songs, Silences and Secrets." These paper-back books and e-books have continued to sell well. Her latest books are collections of rhyme stories and poetry: "Rhymes without Reasons! Stories for All Seasons; Traces! Poems from My Everyday Life; Cat Songs, Smiles and Stories: Some Sweet Things in Life; and Impressions: From Someone of a Certain Age." In addition, she has also written historical articles and books. The articles have been published in the Bulletin of the Northumberland County Historical Society on whose Board she served for more than 10 years. Her books on historical events and topics include: A Quiet Glory: The Life and Times of Dr. James Skelton Gilliam of Northumberland and Lancaster Counties, Virginia; Robert E. Lee's Other Warhorse: The Mare with Mysteries; Not Quite as Smooth as Silk, The Disappearance of Joseph N. Butler, Textile Supervisor, From Buena Vista, Virginia; Behind Lady Liberty's Right Shoulder! Women of Courage in the Explosions at Black Tom Island and Kingsland, New Jersey, 1916-1917; The Ditch of the Bells, World War I: The Story of Red Cross Nurse, Bessie W. Omohundro, from Northumberland County, Virginia; Menominee, Lost Lights! The Sinking of the Unarmed Tug and Its Barges off the Virginia Coast in World War II; Barge Dog: Virginia Coast, 1942; Horse of the Sand Pounder: East Coast, World War II; and Adrienne, Lafayette's Sweet Fire.