WW II Observation Post No. 27

world war two Observation Post No. 27. Broadway, VA. , In 1942, the Broadway Town Council erected this Observation tower atop the hill overlooking Rt. 259 just off Broadway Ave. The tower stood on a platform that was about 20 feet above the ground. The site had been selected by the U.S. Army and approved by the State Aircraft Warning Service as part of the east coast air patrol. Its mission was to spot any unidentified aircraft which may have penetrated the air defense system. Mrs. John Homan Kline (Bernice Moyers Kline) served as chief observer assisted by Mrs. E.W. Roller, Mr. J.E. Williams, Miss Lennis Moyers, Mr. J. Frank Hillyard and MRs. Herman L. Hollar., Local volunteers manned the tower. Volunteers included numerous men, women and high school students from around the area. Among the inscriptions of volunteers still visible on the window sills are: Peg Koloy (1/25/42), PANTY WAIST (12/4/42), Fawley (1/22/43), Sue Brock, hLo (1/13/43), Clark Baker (1/22/43), Don Phillips, Roger Parrish, b. aLT, Lois Landis (2/5/43), Arnold (12/25/42), George Clark (2/4/43), Gerry Hoover (12/9/42), Shirley (11/42)., Story of the Lookout Tower after world war two. When I was a little girl about 7 or 8 years old, my Daddy, Charles D. Lantz, took me to the "lookout tower" when my first cousin, Laymon Lantz, was on duty that day. We walked up the long flights of steps to the small building built on high stilts. We could look in all directions, see all of the Broadway community, the sky, the mountains and the valley. My Daddy took me a few more times to this tower and I really liked going with him., When the war was over in 154, my Dad moved the tower and brought it to our home on Linville Avenue in Broadway. We made the little building into a play house in our back yard. My Mother made curtains for the windows and put pictures on the walls. We had a small table and a desk and chairs to ouse. Many hours, days and weeks were spent playing in the playhouse with our dolls and our kitty and dog and having picnics with our friends. My brother, Eugene, sisters Phyllis and Ellen, and I enjoyed this small one-room playhouse for many years while living at home. , Written by Carolyn Lants Hatcher , August 6, 2013. , In later years, the tower provided a playhouse for the children and grandchildren of Dan and Ellen Lantz Whitmore (Carolyn's sister) In August, 2013, the Whitmore family restored the Tower both inside and out to its original appearance and donated it to the Plains District Museum. The furnishings, preserved by the Lantz family, are original to the tower.