Historical Observatories
(This list is not intended to be all encompassing and the information shown is subject to change. The intent is to give a preliminary list and the user should search on specific locations for more and current information)
Arizona
* Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Opened in 1894, still open for viewing and tours
California
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, Opened in 1935, still open for viewing and tours
Lick Observatory, San Jose, Opened in 1888, still open for viewing and tours
Mount Wilson Observatory, Mount Wilson, Opened in 1904, still open for viewing and tours
Palomar Observatory, WarnerSprings, Opened in 1948, still open for viewing and tours
Ricard Observatory, Santa Clara, Opened in 1928, still standing and building has multiple uses
Colorado
* Chamberlin Observatory, Denver, Opened in 1894, still open for viewing
Connecticut
Van Vleck Observatory, Middletown, Opened in 1914, still open for viewing
District of Columbia
* Heyden Observatory, Washington, Opened in 1841, not being used and deteriorating
* US Naval Observatory, Washington, Opened in 1842, Moved in 1893, still in use
Georgia
Bradley Observatory, Decatur, Opened in 1950, still open for viewing
Illinois
Dearborn Observatory, Evanston, Opened in 1888. Moved in 1939, still open for viewing
* University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Opened in 1896, still open for viewing
Indiana
* Earlham College Observatory, Richmond, Opened in 1861, still open for instruction and public viewing
Holcomb Observatory, Indianapolis, Opened in 1954, still used by Butler University
Kirkwood Observatory, Bloomington, Opened in 1900, open and used by Indiana University
* McKim Observatory, Greencastle, Opened in 1884, used for viewing and by Depauw University
Iowa
Drake Municipal Observatory, Des Moines, Opened in 1921 to replace former observatory, still open for viewing
Maryland
Williams Observatory, Frederick, Opened in 1924, renovated in 1985 and still in use by Hood College for special events
Massachusetts
Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Opened in 1839, still used by college
Hopkins Observatory, Williamstown, Opened in 1838, open for tours and museum exhibits
Oak Ridge Observatory, Harvard, Opened in 1933, closed in 2005, falling into disrepair
Whitin Observatory, Wellesley, Opened in 1900, still used by Wellesley College
Wilder Observatory, Amherst, Opened in 1905, still open for viewing
Williston Observatory, South Hadley, Opened in 1881, still open for viewing
Michigan
Albion Observatory, Albion, Opened in 1883, still used at Albion College Ethics Center
* Detroit Observatory, Ann Arbor, Opened in 1854, closed for restoration, will reopen in 2021
McMath – Hulbert Solar Observatory, Lake Angelus, Opened in 1929, privately owned with occasional public events, some efforts to restore
Peach Mountain Observatory, Dexter, Opened in 1955, open occasionally
Minnesota
* Goodsell Observatory, Northfield, Opened in 1887, used by Carleton College
Mississippi
* Barnard Observatory, Oxford, Opened in 1859, used for offices
Kennon Observatory, Oxford, Opened in 1939, still open for viewing
Missouri
Morrison Observatory, Glasgow, Opened in 1875, moved to Fayette in 1935
Nebraska
Boswell Observatory, Crete, Opened in 1883, no longer used but building is preserved
New Hampshire
Shattuck Observatory, Hanover, Opened in 1854, still open for viewing
New Jersey
Daniel S. Schank Observatory, New Brunswick, Opened in 1866, renovated in 2016 abd still used for tours and special events
New York
Fuertes Observatory, Ithaca, Opened in 1917, still open for viewing
Holden Observatory, Syracuse, Opened in 1887, Moved in 1991 and still in use
Kellogg Observatory, Buffalo, Opened in 1930, Refurbished in 1997
* Smith Observatory and Dr. William R Brooks House, Geneva, Opened in 1888, private property but open to the public occassionally
* Vasser College Observatory, Poughkeepsie, Opened in 1865, used for offices after being replaced by a new observatory
Ohio
Burrell Memorial Observatory, Berea, Opened in 1940, used for special events by Baldwin Wallace University
* Cincinnati Observatory, Cincinnati, Opened in 1873. Still open for viewing
* Ohio Wesleyan University Student Observatory, Delaware, Opened in 1896, the original Perkins Observatory
Perkins Observatory, Delaware, Opened in 1923, still open for viewing
Stephens Memorial Observatory, Hiram, Opened in 1939, Still used by Hiram College
Swasey Observatory, Granville, Opened in 1909, still open for instruction and public viewing
Warner and Swasey Observatory, East Cleveland, Opened in 1919, closed and in rapid decline
Weaver Observatory, Springfield, Opened in 1931, still open for instruction
Pennsylvania
* Allegheny Observatory, Pittsburg, Opened in 1900, still open for viewing
Newton Observatory, Meadville, Opened in 1901, still used by Allegheny College
Sproul Observatory, Swathorne, Opened in 1891, telescope moved out in 2017, building to be used as student center
Strawbridge Observatory, Haverford, Opened in 1850s, still used by Haverford College and public viewing
Rhode Island
* Ladd Observatory, Providence, Opened in 1891, still open for viewing
Seagrave Memorial Observatory, North Scituate, Opened in 1914, still open for viewing
South Carolina
Melton Memorial Observatory, Columbia, Opened in 1928, still open for viewing
Tennessee
* Clarence T. Jones Observatory, Chattanooga, Opened in 1936, still open for instruction and public viewing
* Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, Brentwood, Opened in 1953, still used for viewing
Vermont
* Porter Turret Telescope and Stellafane Observatory, Springfield, Opened in 1910, still open for viewing and museum
Virginia
* Leander McCormick Observatory, Charlottesville, Opened in 1884, still open for viewing
Washington
Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, Seattle, Opened in 1895, still open for viewing
Wisconsin
* Washburn Observatory, Madison, Opened in 1881, still open for viewing
Yerkes Observatory, WIlliams Bay, Opened in 1892, future of Yerkes is in limbo
* Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Arizona
* Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Opened in 1894, still open for viewing and tours
California
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, Opened in 1935, still open for viewing and tours
Lick Observatory, San Jose, Opened in 1888, still open for viewing and tours
Mount Wilson Observatory, Mount Wilson, Opened in 1904, still open for viewing and tours
Palomar Observatory, WarnerSprings, Opened in 1948, still open for viewing and tours
Ricard Observatory, Santa Clara, Opened in 1928, still standing and building has multiple uses
Colorado
* Chamberlin Observatory, Denver, Opened in 1894, still open for viewing
Connecticut
Van Vleck Observatory, Middletown, Opened in 1914, still open for viewing
District of Columbia
* Heyden Observatory, Washington, Opened in 1841, not being used and deteriorating
* US Naval Observatory, Washington, Opened in 1842, Moved in 1893, still in use
Georgia
Bradley Observatory, Decatur, Opened in 1950, still open for viewing
Illinois
Dearborn Observatory, Evanston, Opened in 1888. Moved in 1939, still open for viewing
* University of Illinois Observatory, Urbana, Opened in 1896, still open for viewing
Indiana
* Earlham College Observatory, Richmond, Opened in 1861, still open for instruction and public viewing
Holcomb Observatory, Indianapolis, Opened in 1954, still used by Butler University
Kirkwood Observatory, Bloomington, Opened in 1900, open and used by Indiana University
* McKim Observatory, Greencastle, Opened in 1884, used for viewing and by Depauw University
Iowa
Drake Municipal Observatory, Des Moines, Opened in 1921 to replace former observatory, still open for viewing
Maryland
Williams Observatory, Frederick, Opened in 1924, renovated in 1985 and still in use by Hood College for special events
Massachusetts
Harvard College Observatory, Cambridge, Opened in 1839, still used by college
Hopkins Observatory, Williamstown, Opened in 1838, open for tours and museum exhibits
Oak Ridge Observatory, Harvard, Opened in 1933, closed in 2005, falling into disrepair
Whitin Observatory, Wellesley, Opened in 1900, still used by Wellesley College
Wilder Observatory, Amherst, Opened in 1905, still open for viewing
Williston Observatory, South Hadley, Opened in 1881, still open for viewing
Michigan
Albion Observatory, Albion, Opened in 1883, still used at Albion College Ethics Center
* Detroit Observatory, Ann Arbor, Opened in 1854, closed for restoration, will reopen in 2021
McMath – Hulbert Solar Observatory, Lake Angelus, Opened in 1929, privately owned with occasional public events, some efforts to restore
Peach Mountain Observatory, Dexter, Opened in 1955, open occasionally
Minnesota
* Goodsell Observatory, Northfield, Opened in 1887, used by Carleton College
Mississippi
* Barnard Observatory, Oxford, Opened in 1859, used for offices
Kennon Observatory, Oxford, Opened in 1939, still open for viewing
Missouri
Morrison Observatory, Glasgow, Opened in 1875, moved to Fayette in 1935
Nebraska
Boswell Observatory, Crete, Opened in 1883, no longer used but building is preserved
New Hampshire
Shattuck Observatory, Hanover, Opened in 1854, still open for viewing
New Jersey
Daniel S. Schank Observatory, New Brunswick, Opened in 1866, renovated in 2016 abd still used for tours and special events
New York
Fuertes Observatory, Ithaca, Opened in 1917, still open for viewing
Holden Observatory, Syracuse, Opened in 1887, Moved in 1991 and still in use
Kellogg Observatory, Buffalo, Opened in 1930, Refurbished in 1997
* Smith Observatory and Dr. William R Brooks House, Geneva, Opened in 1888, private property but open to the public occassionally
* Vasser College Observatory, Poughkeepsie, Opened in 1865, used for offices after being replaced by a new observatory
Ohio
Burrell Memorial Observatory, Berea, Opened in 1940, used for special events by Baldwin Wallace University
* Cincinnati Observatory, Cincinnati, Opened in 1873. Still open for viewing
* Ohio Wesleyan University Student Observatory, Delaware, Opened in 1896, the original Perkins Observatory
Perkins Observatory, Delaware, Opened in 1923, still open for viewing
Stephens Memorial Observatory, Hiram, Opened in 1939, Still used by Hiram College
Swasey Observatory, Granville, Opened in 1909, still open for instruction and public viewing
Warner and Swasey Observatory, East Cleveland, Opened in 1919, closed and in rapid decline
Weaver Observatory, Springfield, Opened in 1931, still open for instruction
Pennsylvania
* Allegheny Observatory, Pittsburg, Opened in 1900, still open for viewing
Newton Observatory, Meadville, Opened in 1901, still used by Allegheny College
Sproul Observatory, Swathorne, Opened in 1891, telescope moved out in 2017, building to be used as student center
Strawbridge Observatory, Haverford, Opened in 1850s, still used by Haverford College and public viewing
Rhode Island
* Ladd Observatory, Providence, Opened in 1891, still open for viewing
Seagrave Memorial Observatory, North Scituate, Opened in 1914, still open for viewing
South Carolina
Melton Memorial Observatory, Columbia, Opened in 1928, still open for viewing
Tennessee
* Clarence T. Jones Observatory, Chattanooga, Opened in 1936, still open for instruction and public viewing
* Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory, Brentwood, Opened in 1953, still used for viewing
Vermont
* Porter Turret Telescope and Stellafane Observatory, Springfield, Opened in 1910, still open for viewing and museum
Virginia
* Leander McCormick Observatory, Charlottesville, Opened in 1884, still open for viewing
Washington
Theodor Jacobsen Observatory, Seattle, Opened in 1895, still open for viewing
Wisconsin
* Washburn Observatory, Madison, Opened in 1881, still open for viewing
Yerkes Observatory, WIlliams Bay, Opened in 1892, future of Yerkes is in limbo
* Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
