In 1878 on the foundation of the Fichtelgebirge Section of the German-Austrian Alpine Club (predecessor of the Fichtelgebirge Club) there was already an observation post on the Ochsenkopf - a wooden structure for the ordnance survey. In 1876 a stone survey column had been erected (a Saxon survey post, still there today) and surrounded with a wooden scaffold. Later this scaffold was adapted as an observation tower and raised a little in height, but in 1894 the structure was reported as very rickety. The Fichtelgebirg Club (Fichtelgebirgsverein or FGV) restored the structure time and again. In 1896, master forester, List, from Bischofsgrün modified the tower and it was raised by 10 metres.