Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium in the snow, as viewed from Butler Way

Description:	The south facade of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium is visible in the snow from Butler Way, just beyond the North Mall. To the right, cars and vans are parked along Clarendon Road, outside of Lilly Hall. Construction of the Indiana limestone Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium 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 Arthur F. Lindberg, Butler University Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds; 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. 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. Lilly Hall opened in 1962, while an approximately 47,500 square-foot addition to the building opened in 2003.
Origin:	1995-12-27
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/2845
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, 39.839665, -86.171180 39.839665 -86.171180
Subjects:	Snow Trees Streets Curbs Sidewalks Observatories Observatory domes Planetariums Automobiles Vans Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Lilly Hall Butler Way North Mall Fairview campus

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