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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 1401 OBSERVATORY DR |
|---|---|
| County | Dane |
| City/Village | Madison |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
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Property Features
| Year Built | 1878 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1974 |
| Historic Use | observatory/planetarium |
| Architectural Style | Neoclassical/Beaux Arts |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Sandstone |
| Architect | David R. Jones |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. Washburn Observatory, on the crest of Observatory Hill, commands not just an expansive view of the heavens above, but also a spectacular view of Lake Mendota below. A local architect designed the Italianate building on a modest residential scale, using locally quarried sandstone blocks, chiseled with a vermiculated surface and laid with beaded mortar joints, above rock-faced stones at the foundation. A bracketed and denticulated cornice and a triangular pediment ornament the building. The simple shed-roofed porch at the east wing and the octagonal bay window facing south seem domestic, but on the west, a wooden dome rising forty-eight feet in height identifies the building as an observatory. A large triangular pediment, broken by a stylized Palladian window, marks the observatory’s entrance. Inside, a narrow wooden staircase ascends to the dome, where the original telescope remains. Constructed by Alvan Clark and Sons of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the refracting telescope was the country’s third largest telescope when it was installed in 1879. In its heyday, the observatory was a leading astronomical research center. James Craig Watson, the first director and one of the most distinguished American astronomers of his time, measured binary stars, studied of the earth’s rotation and atmosphere as causes of aberrant astronomical observations, and discovered twenty-three asteroids. In the 1920s, observatory directors Joel Stebbins and Albert Edward Whitford created the field of astronomical photometry, which measures the light from stars. The observatory, closed in 1959, opens its doors regularly for public stargazing. |
| Bibliographic References | Wisconsin State Journal, 9/18/1994, p. 2I. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide: Henry Mall and West Campus, 1988. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Washburn Observatory and Observatory Director's Residence |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Mar 14, 1985 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing |
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
Astronomer at Washburn Observatory
June 17, 1947
View looking up towards open dome as Olin Eggen, research astronomer, looks through the telescope at Washburn Observatory on the campus of University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Telescope at Washburn Observatory
November 8, 1926
Small telescope at University of Wisconsin-Madison Washburn Observatory.
Telescope at Washburn Observatory
1930
Telescope at Washburn Observatory with man at controls.
New Equipment at Washburn Observatory
February 10, 1933
A man is sitting near a new photo electric cell equipment at Washburn Observatory on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Also shown is a portion of the observatory's telescope.
