Beebe Hill State Forest (in the Columbia County town of Austerlitz) was established in 1963 and is the home of the Beebe Hill fire tower, erected in 1964 and operated through 1987. Recent history has seen the development of over 3,000 acres of state forests in Columbia County. The 60-foot-tall fire tower was originally constructed on Alander Mountain in the Berkshires in 1928. Five years later it was moved to Washburn Mountain in Columbia County, where it stood until it was moved to Beebe Hill in 1964. Harvey Mountain State Forest (also in the town of Austerlitz) was developed in 1999 and adjoins Beebe Hill State Forest. Harvey Mt. is the highest elevation in Columbia County at 2,065 feet. Near the summit of Harvey Mountain, a wild blueberry field exists, which historically provided a source of revenue for area residents.
