Leander McCormick Observatory
- Also Known As: VDHR002-1759
- Address: 600 McCormick Rd
| Y/M/D | Person | Association | Description | Composition | Food | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y/M/D | Person | Association | Description | Composition | Food | Event |
| 1825/00/00 | Thomas Jefferson | Developer | Thomas Jefferson urges the purchase of Observation mountain for the University of Virginia, as a suitable site for an observatory and as a source of water and timber for the university. | |||
| 1870/00/00 | Joseph Henry | Facilitator | Robert E Lee, president of Washington College, sends a letter of introduction to Joseph Henry, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, making known McCormick's wishes to establish an astronomical observatory in Virginia. | |||
| 1870/00/00 | Robert E Lee | Facilitator | Robert E Lee, president of Washington College, sends a letter of introduction to Joseph Henry, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, making known McCormick's wishes to establish an astronomical observatory in Virginia. | |||
| 1877/00/00 | Leander J McCormick | Benefactor | Leander J McCormick donates the funds for the largest telescope in the world to the University of Virginia. | |||
| 1881/00/00 | Leander J McCormick | Benefactor | Leander J McCormick donates $18,000 to construct the observatory for his telescope, contingent on the University's raising the funds to endow the professorship. | |||
| 1883/00/00 | Wilson Brothers and Company | Architect | Construction begins on the Leander McCormick Observatory on the summit of Observatory Mountain, later renamed Mount Jefferson. | |||
| 1883/00/00 | Leander McCormick flint and crown glass lenses are cast in France by Manois and Sons, and ground by Alvan Clark and Sons. | |||||
| 1883/00/00 | George W Spooner | Architect, Builder | Alden House, named for the 3rd director of the observatory, Harold Alden, is completed. The large Queen Anne-Eastlake style house was begun in 1882, following a $5000 appropriationby the Universitys Board of Visitors. | |||
| 1884/00/00 | Warner and Swasey | Engineers | Leander McCormick Observatory's rotating dome is erected. The largest in the world when constructed, it is a unique design patented by Worcester Warner and Ambrose Swasey of Cleveland, OH. | |||
| 1885/04/13 | Alvan Clark and Sons | Architect | The 26-inch Alvan Clark and Sons refracting telescope is dedicated. At the time, it is the largest in the United States. | |||
| 1934/00/00 | The Small Observatory is built to the west of the original observatory to house the 10-inch Cooke astrograph, for use by Alexander Vyssotsky. | |||||
| 1990/00/00 | By 1990, Leander McCormick Observatory has determined the distances for 25 percent of all stars with known distances. |
| Particulars for Leander McCormick Observatory: | |
|---|---|
| Area of Significance | Architecture |
| Criteria | Architecture-Engineering |
| Area of Significance | Education |
| Criteria | Historic Event |
| Architectural Style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Level of Significance | National |
| Architectural Style | Queen Anne |
| Historic Use | Research facility |
| Area of Significance | Science |
| Historic Use | Single dwelling |
| Owner | State |
| Sight Category | Structure |
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