View of Holcomb Gardens from the roof of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium

Description:	This photograph of Holcomb Gardens may have been taken from the roof of James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, possibly during the construction of the building. The outline of dam and the lake are drawn in blue ink, and the handwriting may be that of Arthur F. Lindberg, Butler University Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. Lindberg worked with J. I. Holcomb, Vice President of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, to create the gardens, and the lake was added in 1952, just a year before construction began on the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium. A description of the future building in the article Holcombs to Donate $250,000 Observatory, in the June 1953 issue of Butler Reports, describes how the windows and stairs in the buildings lobby would highlight the gardens. A cantilever stairway winding up to the 24-foot steel dome will contain landings arranged so visitors will be able to view the colorful gardens to the north and the long mall [North Mall] and other campus buildings to the south (para. 4). 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; Holcomb; 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, which was a part of the Homecoming festivities and the start of the celebrations for the Universitys centennial year. Reports vary, but the final 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/2765
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, 39.841474, -86.171414 39.841474 -86.171414
Subjects:	Trees Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Holcomb Gardens James Irving Holcomb Botanical Gardens Fairview campus

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