Sioux Lookout, ON
Photographs


Bob Agar visited Sioux Lookout on August 18, 1999 - some 10 days after Fred Southwell made his visit. Bob reported as follows "There is a newly paved road some 42 miles from highway 17 to the town of Sioux Lookout. The side road to the town of Hudson and the base was in very poor shape. I believe that the owners now live on the base. They have posted "No Trespassing" signs and have also locked both the front and rear gates. As a result, I was unable to gain access to the site. I did take some photos making use of a 200mm telephoto lens."

I have known Fred Southwell since 1959 when we were both very young FCOs at Holberg - some 40 years ago. Where has all the time gone to Fred? As was the case in the military, we went in different directions and I eventually found Fred in Sioux Lookout - back in 1966, when I was serving a tour in Armstrong. We were both amateur musicians in those days, and I recall taking a freight train from Armstrong to Sioux Lookout - just to play a dance at the Legion - and then catch the next return freight back to Armstrong. The things we used to do - when you sit back and think about it all.

Thirty-three more years went by before I eventually found Fred again - this time as a retired FCO/ADTech, living in (of all places) "Sioux Lookout". We haven't met since 1966, and probably never will, but Fred remains a good friend.

His latest form of assistance for the web site was to take a trip to the remains of the radar station at Sioux Lookout and take a series of assorted photos that depict the remains on 10 August 1999. I gather that the site is privately owned, and there usually is a barricade across the road at what used to be the "main gate" to prevent access to the remains of the radar station. What with all the vandalism in this day and age, I can't honestly say that I blame the owners for trying to control access to the site. None the less, Fred just happened to go out on a day when someone was fixing the barricade. Fast talker that he is - swish, in he went, and his series of photos pretty well says it all.

One of the GATR buildings is presently being used by a skidoo sled contractor. The FPS-6B and FPS-507 towers were torn down and sold for scrap iton - only the foundations remain. The Pinetree Trailer park in town is still there but they are selling the old trailers. It appears that the land might be used for the new hospital.

Thanks Fred, for providing the web site with another chapter for "Sioux Lookout".


Click on the description text to view the photograph.
  1. Operations site tower complex from Frog Rapids bridge on highway 72 - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  2. Operations site tower complex from Frog Rapids bridge on highway 72 - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  3. The Pelican School shared the road to the base. The school itself is beyond the turnoff to the base - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  4. Front gate to the radar station. Unable to gain access - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  5. Rear gate from the radar station to one of the GATR buildings. - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  6. Communications building on nearby hill southwest of the station- 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  7. Communications building on nearby hill southwest of the station- 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  8. Search radar tower (taken with 200mm lens from hill southwest of the station) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  9. Power plant (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  10. Power plant (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  11. Curling club at left (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  12. Combined Mess at left and barracks (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  13. Barracks (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  14. Barracks on left and the Rec Centre on right (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  15. Barracks on left and the Rec Centre on right (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  16. Barracks on left and the Rec Centre on right (taken with 200mm telephoto lens from nearby hill) - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  17. FPS-6 Height Finder Memorial in the town of Sioux Lookout - 18 August 1999.
    Courtesy Bob Agar.

  18. Operations site tower complex from Frog Rapids bridge on highway 72 - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  19. Remains of guardhouse at main gate, entering the station - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  20. Remains of gusrdhouse at main gate, looking away from the station - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  21. Ten bay MSE garage building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  22. MSE building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  23. Supply section building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  24. Front entrance to Combined Mess - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  25. Officer's Mess - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  26. Back of Combined Mess - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  27. Remains of barracks - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  28. Reamins of barracks (only one with windows remaining) - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  29. Airmen's barracks - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  30. Airmen's barracks - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  31. Barracks next to Junior Rank's Club - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  32. Junior Ranks Club - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  33. Recreation center - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  34. Remains of Officer's barracks, destroyed by fire - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  35. Cement pad where Headquarter's building was located - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  36. Curling Club - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  37. Road from Operations site. Tower guardhouse on right - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  38. Remains of main search radar tower - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  39. Remains of old height finder tower, believed to be an old search tower built by the Americans in 1954 - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  40. Old height finder tower and entrance to this building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  41. Old Operations building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  42. South end of SAGE Annex building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  43. North end of SAGE Annex building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  44. Interior of SAGE Annex building, DMCC - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  45. Corridor/catwalk/tunnel from DMCC - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  46. Exterior of Power Plant building - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  47. Interior of Power Plant - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  48. Interior of Power Plant. Squares on floor show where the diesel engines were located - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.

  49. Power plant "power distribution panels" - 10 August 1999.
    Courtesy Fred Southwell.


Photographic Credits

All photos are used with permission.

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Updated: September 7, 1999