Interpreting the Evidence
Aerial View of Forest Fire, North of Middletown, 1939
Suggested Teaching Instructions
Document Description
Aerial view of a forest fire burning north of Middletown, New York, in the Catskill Mountains region, May 16, 1939.
Historical Context
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a multitude of large, dangerous, and expensive forest fires caused New York State to dedicate new manpower and develop new technologies for reporting forest fires throughout the Adirondack Forest Preserve. The "great fires" of 1903 and 1908, which consumed nearly one million acres of forest, led to the creation of fire districts with fire superintendents, fire patrolmen, and a systematic approach to address citizens' concerns about forest fire management in the Adirondacks. In 1909, the first Adirondack fire tower was built.
Essential Question
How do human settlement patterns impact the environment?
Check for Understanding
Describe the scene in the photograph and explain the role of human activity in the situation depicted.
Historical Challenges
Research the origins of Smokey the Bear.
Interdisciplinary Connections
English Language Arts: Write a newspaper article as if it were the year 1900 that describes safety precautions one must take to prevent forest fires.
Art: Create a poster for fire safety week.