Catawba Fish and Game Preserve
About 1925, Col. Daniel Adams established a fish and game preserve near his home off Orchard Street in Old Fort. Adams was a forester, engineer, and entrepreneur best known for his invention of the modern fire lookout tower. He constructed a fish hatchery (seen here), installed some trout ponds, created a five-mile horse-riding trail, bought a goat herd, and built a large hillside sign (visible in the background) to promote all of it. The rock hatchery is all that remains of the project.
Interview by Terrell Finley
This transcript has been slightly edited for clarity.
I don’t think we could talk about the history of Old Fort without talking about some of the role players. The first one that comes to mind to me would be Colonel Daniel Weisiger Adams. He was lieutenant colonel in World War I and he commanded the all Native American Brigade. He was a man of intellect. He was a man of challenge. One of the most successful things he did for us here in Old Fort was the first hydroelectric dam. He built it on the Catawba River near Catawba Falls. He owned that property and about that time he owned about 3500 acres. He ran the electrical service here in town and it traveled several miles through the woods to get to the town. He also ran the first water system in Old Fort. He brought it to Mill Creek and it came into town through wooden pipes. He ran that for several miles. At this point I couldn’t be certain but I’m almost certain that Col. Adams also brought the first telephone company into Old Fort. He may not have created the company, but he was instrumental in bringing it in. Earlier, before he came to the town of Old Fort, he was involved with U.S. Forest Service. One of the things that was developed by him was the fire tower. Col. Adams built the first one. He built it in Arkansas in the national forest there. Col. Adams developed the system of triangulation in which two or three or more fire tower observers could pinpoint a forest fire. When he was here in this area, when he ran that water system in Old Fort, one of the things that he also added. . . Since Mill Creek came right through his property and right in front of his house, he designed and built a fish hatchery. Right on his own property. He eventually had a fishing and hunting lodge. He also would backpack. He took people with a string of pack horses back into the mountains and camped. He guided people on his property and other properties back in the mountains. He provided fishing opportunities on his private streams and hunting opportunities on his private land. He did a lot of things like that. It was amazing the things the man could generate and develop and finish and many of them were for the public good.