Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium, as viewed from Clarendon Road

Description:	Cars are parked along one side of the western branch of Clarendon Road, while a dumpster sits on the other side of the street. Beyond the road, vehicles are parked along both Lake Road and Garden Road, while the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium is perched on the top of a hill in the background. In the background, a portion of the Holcomb Memorial Carillon is visible through the trees. Construction of the 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. 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. Dr. Crull became the first Director of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium and according to the November 1957 edition of Butler Reports, an estimated 90,000 people visited the structure during its first three years (p. 7).
Origin:	1996-12
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/2850
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, 39.840190, -86.171612 39.840190 -86.171612
Subjects:	Streets Curbs Signs and signboards Automobiles Lampposts Observatories Observatory domes Planetariums Butler University--Buildings College buildings Butler University--History Indianapolis (Ind.)--History Traffic cones Dumpsters James Irving Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium Holcomb Observatory Clarendon Road North Mall Holcomb Memorial Carillon Fairview campus

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