SWANHOLM
Elmore County - Boise National Forest - 7N-10E-31
April 19, 1921:   "Miss Eula G. Morton of Dubois has been appointed to the position of fire lookout on the Swanholm lookout of the Boise national forest, according to announcement made Monday by W. J. Campbell, supervisor of the Boise national forest.  Miss Morton is the first woman to be employed by the United States forestry service as a lookout in the Boise forest.
      She will report for active duty July 1 at the beginning of the season.  Her sister, Miss Josephine Morton of Arizona, will be her companion.  Both women have had mountain experience."   (The Idaho Statesman)

​April 22, 1921:   "Miss Eula G. Morton of Dubois, Idaho, will act as look out at the fire lookout station on Swanholm peak on the north fork of the Boise river in the Boise forest, this summer."   (The Meridian Times)

​1922:  A lookout ground cabin was built.

January 3, 1926:   "After living alone all spring and summer at Swanholm lookout, the forest ranger station on the north fork of the Boise some 18 miles by trail from Atlanta, W.F. Cable paid a visit to the capital last week to see what civilization looked like once more."   (Idaho Statesman)

June 30, 1929:   "With the departure Saturday of William Rafferty, lookout, for the forest fire lookout station atop Swanholm peak, a 10,000-foot mountain in the Sawtooth range, all fire spotters in the Boise national forest will be on duty by the first of the week.  The lookout went by way of Atlanta to his station, the trip taking two days by pack horse.
      Ed Poulton, fire dispatcher at Idaho City, will today open the forest service switchboard, connecting fire lookouts and ranger stations over the forest.  Government lookouts are on Pilot peak, Jackson mountain, Bald mountain, Swanholm peak, Lava mountain and Trinity mountain, while the Southern Idaho Timber Protective association maintains lookout stations on Shafer mountain north of Boise and Sunset peak on the north fork of the Boise river."   (Idaho Statesman)

January 28, 1945:   "At Swanholm were stationed Mrs. Minnie Garside and her two sons from Ore.  She survived several severe electrical storms."   (Idaho Statesman)                                                                     

September 4, 1945:   "The call of the west proved so strong for Mrs. Eula Bibo, Paris, Ill., even after 24 years, that she came back this summer, and repeated an experience she enjoyed in 1921, when she spent the summer as lookout at Swanholm lookout on the Boise National Forest, about 25 miles from Atlanta, at an altitude of 8752 feet.
      As she left Boise this week end to return to Paris, where she teaches school during the winter, Mrs. Bibo recalled that she was a teacher at Dubois in 1921, and was accepted as a forest service lookout for the summer months, and assigned to Swanholm Peak.  There were no roads to the station then, and it took three days to make the trip on horseback, from Dutch Creek ranger station.  The trip took only a few hours this year.
      Ranger Walter Berry, then at Idaho City ranger station, arranged for her trip.  She said he is still with the Forest Service in Idaho but did not see him this year.  LeRoy Sprague is the ranger in charge now.
      Mrs. Bibo was accompanied to Swanholm peak this summer by year 16-year-old son John, who was named by the Forest Service as her substitute, and worked in her place Sundays.  It was the boy's first experience of the west and he found it thrilling, his mother said."   (Idaho Statesman)

​1954:  A two-story structure with an L-4 cab and 10-foot concrete lower level replaced the earlier building.
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​June 15, 1958:  "The newlyweds took a honeymoon trip to Boise.  For traveling, the bride chose a green pleated nylon and jersey dress.  The couple will reside at Swan Home where the bridegroom will be a fire lookout this summer."  (Idaho State Journal)

August 7, 1972:   "A telephone directory with only 10 names would not appeal to most teenage girls on a summer vacation.
      Sheila Saleen, 18, and Jette Morache, 19, have only 10 persons they can call from their mountain-top home at Swanholm Lookout.  All are on a Forest Service line from Swanholm to Dutch Creek Guard Station.
​      Sheila and Jette are 'womaning' the lookout this summer.  They hate the distinction of being the only two single girls hired by the Boise National Forest as lookouts are manned by couples.
      Swanholm lookout is so out of the way it does not have a visitors' book.  It is about 105 miles from Boise and 10 miles northwest of Atlanta.
      The girls do not complain about their isolation.  They hoped out helicopter visit and this article would not bring many visitors to interrupt their busy schedule.
      They don't worry about what to do with their spare time for there isn't any after they gather weather information, report fires, chop wood, cook all their meals and putter at their hobbies.
      Both girls enjoy the outdoors and hike on their days off.  Sheila is junior girls indoor and outdoor rifle champion.  She also is a member of the governor's rifle team.  She also shoots a muzzleloader.
      Sheila has her rifle along on hikes, but only for target practice.  Neither she nor Jette will kill anything living.
      Sheila and Jette have been at Swanholm since June 30 and will not leave until it is time for school.
      The two girls had not met until they took lookout training and were accepted to serve at Swanholm.  They had some adjusting to do when they became isolated on the mountaintop.
      Are girls any good as lookouts or do they need a man there to chop wood, bring in water and other chores?  Their boss, Boise District Ranger Phil Glass, reports, 'They are doing a great job.'  Both want to return next year."    By Mary Jane Williams..   (Idaho Statesman)