Construction of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium

Description:	The concrete is being poured around the supports for the James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium lobby telescope. In the article Indianas New Observatory and Planetarium, in the August 1955 issue of Sky and Telescope, author Dr. Harry E. Crull, Professor of Mathematics, Head of the Department of Mathematics at Butler University, and the first director of the building describes the telescope supports, part of the buildings central tower, as shown in this photograph. The telescope is mounted on a concrete slab containing 21 cubic yards of reinforced concrete; the slab is in turn supported on four 18-inch square legs of concrete and I-beam construction placed in the walls, one on each side of the north and south windows. The entire mount is free of contact with the building at any point above the foundation. This construction eliminated the conventional pier under the instrument and permits unrestricted use of the main lobby (p. 404). Moreover, telescope vibrations are reduced by this design. Handwritten notes on the front of the photograph, possibly created by Arthur F. Lindberg, Butler University Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, describe the work and include the names of some of the people. Construction of the Indiana limestone building took approximately 18 months and fill dirt from the Ross Hall construction site (building opened September 12, 1954) was moved to this location, a high plot of land at the entrance to Holcomb Gardens. Dedicated on Friday, November 5, 1954, the structure was designed and planned by Lindberg; J. I. Holcomb, Vice President of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee; Dr. Crull; Robert Frost Daggett, consulting architect; and the firm of Ammerman, Davis and Stout, consulting engineers. On the dedication day, morning classes were shortened, and afternoon classes were cancelled so people could attend the dedication convocation, which was a part of the Homecoming festivities and the start of the celebrations for the Universitys centennial year. Reports vary, but the estimated cost of the building and the telescope was between $325,000 and $350,000, and J. I. and Musetta Holcomb provided the funding for the project. The building includes a central tower topped with a dome housing a 38-inch Cassegrainian reflector telescope manufactured by J. W. Fecker, Inc., a planetarium in the west wing, and a lecture room in the east wing.
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/2750
Collection:	Butler University Buildings and Grounds Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Geography:	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 39.841337, -86.171432 39.841337 -86.171432
Subjects:	Construction projects Construction equipment Construction workers Ladders Observatories Planetariums Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History People James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Fairview campus

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