Evening star., 1940-10-27
Fifty Years Ago
In the Star

The following in The Star of October
25, 1890, is a description in part of the
Naval Observatory buildings which were
under construction half a century ago:
"A furlong or more directly north of
Georgetown. on what is known as the old
Barber place the new Naval Observatory
is now in the course of construction and
will. when finished. add another to
Washington's many attractive environ
ments. The Barber estate was pur-
chased by the Government about nine
years ago for $72 900 and contains some
81 acres lying between the High street
road ON the west and the Barnard
estate, Normanstone, on. the east. 1t
occupies the summit of ridge of hills.
the highest IL the vicinity, and COM
mands superb view for miles around
in every direction save the west. Stand
Ing on the crest of the hill on which
the new structure is situated one is de-
lighted with the beauty and extent OF the
vast picture before him. The line of
vision extends over the heights of
Georgetown, out across the Potomac,
dotted with steam and sailing vessels,
and over the housetops of Washington
to the faint hills of Maryland beyond
the Eastern Branch. This view is OBJ
tanned by looking directly south from
the main building. On the southwest
the view stretches out in a varied pano-
rama across the sparkling river and the
Virginia hills to Alexandria, eight miles
distant, and beyond, and on the left or
east to the Soldiers Home. Indeed. for
beauty, quietness and fitness of position
no better spot could have been selected
for the purpose.
Ground was broken for the founda-
tons late in october, 1883. The build
ings will be nine in number. The mar
BILE is from the quarries of Tuckahoe,
N. Y. and the bluestone from the Poto-
mac River
The main building Will be two stories
high with cellar under all and an air
story above. that is, all above the small
equatorial portion. which will have a
third story and a portico around the
dome above this. In addition TO the
small equatorial the main building COM
prises the library and transit circle
building and general offices.
The great equatorial which was the
first building completed is very hand
some structure. standing about $50 feet
west of the main building The southern
end is circular, while the northern end
gives one the idea of the Parthenon
without its columns. 1t is built almost
entirely of rock-face marble with a cir
cular balcony and four corners above it
of cut-face work The enormous iron
dome is not yet put in place. The foun-
dations for the instrument pier in this
building. as in the others, is in form of
an enormous cross of solid concrete
about nine feet in depth, which will
give solidity and prove a safeguard
against any jarring of the instruments.
Further to protect the large telescope 1t
has been made law that no public road
shall pass within less than 1000 feet of
the building. Some 40 feet in front Of
this stand connected three buildings.
which form, perhaps, the only eyesore on
the reservation. The clock room is in
the main one and is built of marble, but
on either side of it, east and west, is an
observers room-small, plain frame
structures on granite foundations, strong
enough to sustain the weight of marble.
The idea is, apparently, that these are
merely temporary and will be rebuilt Of
marble when the necessary funds are
available When will this be?
The east and west transit circle build
ings will stand at either side of and
about 10 feet from these wooden affairs.
At present no more than the bluestone
foundations and the concrete founda-
tions for the piers are constructed, but
they are to be built Of iron and may be
completed rapidly enough when all the
castings are ready. A little northeast Of
the library, quite down below the cellar
grade of the main building, on the edge
of a ravine, stands the boiler house. a
solid, square, massive structure of blue
gneiss stone-rough, broken ashlar-
trimmed as to coping, buttress caps, ETC.,
with smooth, fooled stone"