Previously known as Bald Mountain, the name was changed to honor former Whitman National Forest supervisor Henry Ireland who died in 1916. First used as a camp in 1915, a cabin with rooftop observation platform was built in 1916. A cupola was added to the cabin later. In 1957, the cabin was blasted off the summit to make room for the present all-steel live-in cab, which is staffed every summer.