Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium wall construction detail

Description:	The construction of the James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium is underway and this photograph highlights the installation of the exterior limestone, possibly on the south side of the building. Notes are handwritten on the front of the photograph, possibly by Arthur F. Lindberg, Butler University Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. A portion of the buildings cornerstone is visible on the bottom left of the wall, with the date 1954 carved into it. It took approximately 18 months of construction to complete the Indiana limestone building 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. 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. 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. Harry E. Crull, Professor of Mathematics and Head of the Department of Mathematics; 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 in Hinkle Fieldhouse, which was a part of the Homecoming festivities and the start of the celebrations for the Universitys centennial year. Indiana Governor George N. Craig was the featured speaker at the convocation and Charles F. Kettering, inventor and former vice president and director of General Motors Corporation, received an Honorary Doctorate of Science. Afterwards, the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium was open for guided tours and in the evening, a dedication dinner for approximately 350 invited guests was held in Atherton Union, where Kettering was the main speaker. Towards the end of the event, items were placed in a cornerstone box, destined for the new building, but the included items were not announced.
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/2760
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, 39.841405, -86.171491 39.841405 -86.171491
Subjects:	Construction projects Observatories Planetariums Walls Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History Cornerstones James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Fairview campus

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