Mount Wilson Observatory

7 March 2016
Dear Friends,
All of us at The Da Camera Society look forward to seeing you this Sunday, March 13th at Mount Wilson
Observatory when TAPESTRY performs at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 PM (1 hour each). These three Chamber Music in
Historic Sites concerts serve as the anchor for The Da Camera Society’s Mount Wilson Festival.
Our understanding of the Universe was redefined atop Mount Wilson when Edwin Hubble proved that the Universe
extends beyond our own galaxy — and, that it was expanding. Tapestry has carefully built their program around this
unique setting. The afternoon offers a full day of music, history and science at this majestic site, perched high above
the San Gabriel Basin.
Important Reminders
Here are some quick and important reminders to consider when planning your day:

Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 13th — set your clocks one hour ahead on Saturday evening.
Sunset on Sunday is around 7:00 PM.

Dress warmly and wear comfortable and sturdy footwear — temperatures are expected to be in the low
50s, and the Dome where the concert takes place will be even cooler.

Bring an umbrella — while rain is not predicted at this time, the forecast may change.

Mount Wilson Observatory is a 50 minute drive from La Cañada Flintridge. Allow extra time for driving
up the mountain.

A vehicle and parking fee of $5 will be collected as you enter the lots — this is for a one-day National
Forest Adventure Pass. Please bring exact change. Use the enclosed envelope, handing it to the attendants
as you enter the lot, in exchange for the required Adventure Pass.
Dress Warmly
Mount Wilson sits more than a mile high (5,700 feet elevation), overlooking the San Gabriel basin. The views are
spectacular and the setting is very rustic — a mixture of paved and dirt trails, along with concrete and steel buildings
with no heat. Weather forecasts predict temperatures in the 50s with 11 mph winds. While rain is not expected on
Sunday (light rains are expected on Friday and on Monday), weather patterns shift quickly, so bring an umbrella.
You’ll be walking along dirt trails and standing on cold cement for extended periods, so comfortable walking shoes
and warm socks are a must.
The concerts take place beneath the vast concrete and steel dome of the 100-inch Hooker Telescope.
Temperatures in the Dome sit around 50 degrees — however, with outdoor temperatures in the low 50s, the interior
of the Dome is likely to drop even lower.
If ever there was a time for functional, outdoor clothing at a Chamber Music in Historic Sites concert — this Sunday
up at Mount Wilson is at the top of the list! We strongly encourage you to have a very warm coat, gloves, and a scarf
— consider wearing a warm turtleneck.
The Da Camera Society is prepared to bring cozy warmth to the afternoon! We’ll have hundreds of Hothands Hand
Warmers and Hothands Foot Warmers available for distribution at the Museum/Auditorium and in the concert
setting. These disposable packets are air activated and will provide up to ten hours of warmth inside gloves,
pockets, shoes, or wherever you feel a chill! Hot beverages — and plenty of warm and friendly conversation — will
be available at the reception.
Be Prepared to Climb Stairs
The concert setting, under the huge Hooker Telescope, is quite dramatic! Upon entering the base of the 100-inch
Hooker Telescope Dome, be prepared to climb a series of metal stairs to reach the concert setting above. Docents
will be on hand to guide you.
Directions & Parking
The enclosed directions start at the point where Angeles Crest Highway (State Highway 2) heads North off of the
210 Freeway in La Cañada Flintridge, approximately one mile East of the 2 Freeway. While Mount Wilson is only 19
miles from this starting point, it takes a minimum of 45 minutes to reach via the winding mountain roads.
Mount Wilson Observatory has an upper (smaller) and lower (larger) parking lot. The lots sit less than a quarter mile
from the Dome where concerts take place. You may choose to walk along the trails, taking the Self-Guided Walking
Tour (see page 12 in festival packet) on your way to the concert setting, or you may hop on one of the shuttles, which
will make several stops on the way to the 100-inch Hooker Telescope Dome (concert setting).
As you pull into one of the parking lots remember to hand the parking attendant the enclosed envelope with $5
cash (exact change), in exchange for a National Forest Adventure Pass, which you will place on your dashboard.
Festival Activities & Packet
The enclosed festival packet is your guide for the day. Please take time to review the packet. It is important to
identify what interests you and to plan your day.
There are six components to the Mount Wilson Festival:

Chamber Music in Historic Sites concerts featuring Tapestry in the 100-inch Hooker Telescope Dome:
Concert are at 1:00, 3:00 & 5:00 PM; each concert lasts one hour. Doors to the Dome will open 30 minutes
prior to each concert. (Be prepared to climb several flights of metal stairs to reach the performance level.)

Self-guided Walking Tours of the Observatory Grounds: Enjoy a walk along the trails, visiting the various
historic buildings and telescopes! Stop to visit the interiors of the 150-foot Solar Telescope, 60-inch
Telescope and 16-inch Telescope Domes, and the small museum which serves as the lobby to the
Auditorium. Review the Self-Guided Walking Tour found in the festival packet (see page 12). If it rains, take
one of the shuttles which will stop at several points along the tour route.

Talks on Mount Wilson's Role Within the History of Astronomy: Nik Arkimovich, of Mount Wilson
Institute, will present four 20-minute talks at 2:00, 3:00, 4:00 & 5:00 in the Museum/Auditorium (Stop #2).
Stop in to learn about the Observatory’s major achievements and milestones, followed by a Q&A session.
There is no heat in the Auditorium, so keep your coat on during the talk.

Historic Photo Exhibit: View a collection of celestial images captured through the 60-inch telescope
during the early part of the 20th-century. These printed photographs, made from the original glass plates,
are stunning and will be on display in the 60-inch Telescope Dome (see page 13 in packet for more info).

Receptions: Receptions will run throughout the afternoon, with concentrated one-hour blocks in between
the concerts, 2-3:00 & 4-5:00. Receptions will take place outside the 100-inch Hooker Telescope Dome
(concert location). We’ll move the receptions to the Pavilion if it’s windy or rainy. (There are no food
concessions available at Mount Wilson Observatory — the seasonal café is closed until Spring.)

Festival Packet: It’s full of information — history, essays, articles and historic images. Take time to review
the packet, and bring it with you on the day of the concert.
Will Call Table, Extra Festival Packets & Restrooms
The Will Call Table will be located in the Pavilion (Stop #1), starting at 11:30 AM. Extra festival packets will be
available at the Will Call Table, as well as at the Museum/Auditorium and at the 100-inch Hooker Telescope Dome
(concert setting).
Restrooms are located next to the Pavilion — these units are functional, and reminiscent of ones found in a park. A
second set of restrooms will be situated behind the 100-inch Hooker Telescope Dome (concert setting).
Please do not hesitate to call The Da Camera Society offices (213-477-2929) if you should have any questions. We
look forward to seeing you this Sunday, atop Mount Wilson!
The Da Camera Society
Directions & Parking Info
Mount Wilson Observatory

Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 13 th.

Dress warmly and wear comfortable and sturdy footwear; bring an umbrella.

Mount Wilson Observatory is a 50 minute drive from La Cañada Flintridge.

Be prepared to walk on trails and uneven terrain.

A vehicle and parking fee of $5 will be collected as you enter the lots, in
exchange for a required National Forest Adventure Pass.

Shuttles will be available to transport you from the parking lots to the concert
setting, (1/4 mile away), making stops at several tour stops along the way.

Restrooms are available near the Pavilion, and behind the concert setting
(portable Executive Unites).
FROM 210 FWY in La Cañada Flintridge (approximately 1 mile East of the 2 FWY):
From the 210 FWY take the Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2) exit.
Drive North on Angeles Crest Highway for 14 miles.
Turn right onto Mount Wilson Red Box Road (you’ll then see the Haramokngna
American Indian Cultural Center on your right)
Follow Mount Wilson Red Box Road for 4 miles where it turns slightly right and
becomes Mount Wilson Circle Road – a one-way road.
Continue to the Entrance Gate and proceed to the lower parking lot where a Da
Camera Society Attendant will be waiting to collect your $5 and provide you with a
National Forrest Adventure Pass.
Mount Wilson Festival
Sunday, 13 March 2016
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Observatory Access Trail
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Buil dings
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Pavilion
Large covered area; spectacular vistas
2
Museum/Auditorium
Interior access
• 2, 3, 4 & 5:00 pm: Talk about Mount Wilson’s place
within the history of astronomy (20 mins. each)
3
Tower, 150-ft Solar Telescope
Interior access
4
Snow Solar Telescope
5
60-ft Solar Telescope
• 1, 3 & 5:00 PM: Chamber Music in Historic Sites
concerts (1 hour each) featuring Tapestry
6
Dome, 16-in Telescope
7
Dome, 60-in Telescope
• Throughout afternoon: Outdoor reception, outside
the dome (moved to Pavilion in case of rain)
Interior access
• Historic photo exhibit
8
Dome, 100-in Hooker Telescope
9
CHARA Laboratory
10
CHARA Exhibit Hall
Interior access
Mount Wil son O b s e rvato ry: a n Ov e rv i ew
The Hooker 100-inch telescope
“No great creative work, whether in engineering or in art, in literature or in science, has ever been
the work of a person devoid of the imaginative spirit.”
– George Ellery Hale, founder
Mount Wilson Observatory is a scientific, and more, a cultural landmark. It is an essential contributor to the
march of ideas that have extended and expanded thought and culture.
The location of our solar system in the Milky Way; that our galaxy is not the extent of the universe but one
among myriad galaxies; the expanding universe, hence the Big Bang; the composition and evolution of stars; the
realization that the elements we are made of (Carl Sagan’s ‘star stuff’) were forged in the stars, and more – all
these were determined at the Observatory founded by George Ellery Hale.
Moreover, the founding of the Observatory is the genesis of much of the character of Southern California:
Caltech, Huntington Library, JPL, Griffith Observatory, Pasadena city center, and more.
And there is the visceral experience of the location itself – the redolent California trees, pine and oak, the
striking towers, the serene domes, the sublime air, the gentle slopes of the summit grounds giving to steep drops
with majestic mountain and city views.
The site and facilities of the Mount Wilson Observatory offer exceptional opportunities for research in solar and
stellar physics as well as cultural engagement with residents of and visitors to Southern California.
The purpose of the Mount Wilson Institute is simply to realize, for public benefit, the maximum scientific,
educational, and cultural potential of the Observatory and its facilities. That is, to inspire Hale’s imaginative spirit.
– Dan Kohne
Trustee, Mount Wilson Institute
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Histo ry & Ac h i ev e me n ts
Mount Wilson Observatory: Facts & Discoveries
By Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, July 18, 2014
Mount Wilson Observatory is a Los Angeles-area facility
with several telescopes open to astronomers and the
public. Located on a mountaintop at an altitude of more
than 5,000 feet (1,524 meters), the observatory has been
a useful location over the decades for measurements on
stars, galaxies and other astronomical objects.
Perhaps its most notable discovery came in the 1920s, when
Edwin Hubble used photographic plates from the 100-inch
telescope to discover that the Andromeda Galaxy is a
galaxy in its own right. Previously, the galaxy (and others
like it) was believed to be “spiral nebulas” within the reach
of the Milky Way.
The 100-inch telescope glass being hauled up the one-way
dirt toll road from Altadena to Mt. Wilson by truck, 1917
More recently, the observatory narrowly escaped a devastating wildfire in 2009 that threatened the facility for
several days.
History
Mount Wilson Observatory was founded in 1904 by George Ellery Hale, a pioneer in the field of astrophysics
who studied chemical and physical processes in stars, according to the observatory’s website. Hale began work
on the mountaintop with the Snow Solar Telescope, which was moved
to Mount Wilson from the Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin (where
Hale used to work).
“Hale and his colleagues developed new technologies to extract the
information encoded in the light from distant astronomical objects,”
the website stated. The scientists used a combination of astronomical
observations and lab experiments to do work.
Soon, Hale had bigger ambitions: he wanted a larger telescope at
the facility. His father had purchased a 60-inch mirror while Hale was
Yerkes’ director. At Mount Wilson, Hale poured his energy and time
into obtaining funding to bring the mirror to the new facility. With
financial help from the Carnegie Institution of Washington, the 60inch telescope saw first light in 1908.
Exterior view of the observatory on Mt. Wilson
“During the World War I years, Harlow Shapley used it to overturn
the long-accepted view that the sun was at the center of our Milky
Way Galaxy,” the observatory stated on its website. “Shapley used
the great light gathering power of the 60-inch to show that our solar
system is instead halfway out toward the edge of our galaxy.”
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Astronomers used the 60-inch telescope in studies that led to the classification of stars by their light spectrum,
which is a foundation of astronomy today, the observatory’s website stated. The 60-inch also got one of the
world’s first adaptive optics systems — designed to change the telescope’s mirror as the atmosphere fluctuates
– between 1992 and 1995.
The other large telescope of Hale’s era was completed in 1917. Called the Hooker 100-inch telescope — after
its financial benefactor, John D. Hooker — the telescope was the largest in the world until 1948 (when it was
surpassed by a 200-inch telescope at Palomar Mountain, which is 90 miles or 145 kilometers southeast.)
Notable milestones
Mount Wilson’s 100-inch telescope set the stage
for our understanding of cosmic distances to
galaxies. Edwin Hubble was using the facility in the
1920s when he discovered something interesting
in photographic plates of Andromeda.
At the time, Andromeda was believed to be
a spiral nebula — a vast collection of gas in the
cosmos. But Hubble noticed a Cepheid variable
star within the galaxy. This sort of variable star has
a predictable luminosity, meaning it can be used
as a sort of “standard candle” to measure galactic
distances.
New antenna towers rise high into the sky at Mt. Wilson, August 8, 1964
When Hubble ran the calculations, according to
the Smithsonian Institution, he discovered that
Andromeda was so far away that it had to be a galaxy in its own right. And if that were true of Andromeda —
which is relatively close and bright to Earth — it would be true of all other “spiral nebulas” as well.
Mount Wilson took part in an experiment to accurately measure the speed of light. It was performed by Albert
Michelson, who had previously won a Nobel Prize in 1907 for some of his first work on the experiment. Michelson
continued to tinker with the measurements, which included a 1924-26 set of work at Mount Wilson.
“Mount Wilson served as the launch site for a brilliant beam of light that shone across the San Gabriels, bounced
from a return mirror located on a side ridge of Mount San Antonio, and re-traversed the 22 miles separating the
two mountains,” the observatory stated.
“A rapidly rotating mirror, driven by compressed air, screamed like a siren. By measuring the tiny change in angle
of the mirror during a round trip of a burst of light, taking only two ten-thousandths of a second, the speed of
light was measured.”
Modern days
The observatory escaped a devastating wildfire in 2009 that threatened the telescopes and facilities for several
days. Firefighters spent several days doing their best to keep the flames away, but things were looking dire as
they removed materials such as brush that would spread the fire, and put chemicals and fire lines in place.
The tables began to turn after higher humidity and falling temperatures made the fire less potent. “We’re pretty
confident,” Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Edward Osorio told the L.A. Times in a quote republished by
Space.com on Sept. 30, 2009. “Mt. Wilson is going to be OK.”
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The observatory also emphasizes public education,
and offers public access to its 60-inch telescope.
“The 60-inch is the largest telescope in the world
devoted entirely to public viewing of astronomical
objects. Its large light collecting mirror and the
exquisite skies over Mount Wilson provide an
unrivaled and unique experience,” the observatory
stated on its website.
The observatory is open to visitors every day from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 1 through November 30,
weather permitting, according to the observatory’s
website.
Moon shining on the observatory and the fire in the distance, 2009
Mt. Wilson observatory: Center of scientific breakthroughs
By John Johnson Jr., Los Angeles Times, 2009
For nearly half a century, the Mt. Wilson Observatory was not only the center of the universe for the study of
space science, it taught us just how huge that universe was.
At the eyepiece of the observatory’s then-groundbreaking 100-inch Hooker telescope, astronomer Edwin Hubble
made two of the most shocking scientific discoveries of the 20th century: The universe was far larger than anyone
imagined and it was expanding.
Those discoveries knocked man from his cherished place at the seat of creation to the status of a middling
creature scuttling across the surface of an obscure planet among trillions of stars. They also set the stage for
major breakthroughs in cosmology that followed, including the Big Bang theory and the discovery that some
force, known as dark energy, is accelerating the expansion of the universe.
“Those telescopes revolutionized astronomy. They rank among the most significant scientific instruments of
all time,” said Wendy Freedman, director of the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena. Carnegie operated the
observatory for most of the 20th century before turning over management two decades ago to a nonprofit group
called the Mount Wilson Institute.
It was in 1904 that a charismatic yet troubled astronomer named George Ellery Hale founded the observatory,
located at the 5,700-foot level of the mountain above Pasadena. At the time, Los Angeles was a much smaller,
much dimmer town. The region’s inversion layer, responsible for trapping smog in the basin, keeps the air up at
Mt. Wilson crisply still, perfect for viewing the heavens.
Hale, who at times claimed to be in contact with forces who advised him in his work, built his first telescope
around a mirror that was 5 feet across and weighed 1,900 pounds. The telescope mounting and mirror were
carried up the mountain by mule train. In 1908, work was finally completed on what was then the largest telescope
in the world.
The first big breakthrough came under astronomer Harlow Shapley, who proved that the sun was just another
star in the Milky Way galaxy – a big surprise. “Since the time of Copernicus, people believed the sun was at the
center of the universe,” Freedman said.
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Through skillful measurements of astronomical distances with the 60-inch telescope, Shapley showed that the
sun was not even close to the center of the galaxy – a good thing, since experts now think a giant black hole is
lurking there – but is about two-thirds of the way to the edge.
A driven man, Hale wanted a larger and far more powerful telescope on Mt. Wilson. In 1917, the 100-inch Hooker
telescope, named for a Los Angeles businessman who donated the money for the 8-foot-diameter mirror, was
completed.
Mt. Wilson’s newest astronomer, a lawyer-turned-scientist named Edwin Hubble, used this breathtaking new tool
to prove that the blurry objects at the far reaches of the Milky Way were not clouds of gas, but other galaxies.
This showed that the universe was far larger than anyone had imagined.
As he classified the new galaxies he was finding, Hubble noticed something unusual. The galaxies appeared to be
speeding away from ours, and from each other, in all directions. And the farther away the galaxy was, the faster
it was moving.
Besides proving that the universe was expanding, this became one of the building blocks of the Big Bang theory,
which suggests the universe began in a single explosive moment, the aftershocks of which are still being felt.
Ninety-year-old Don Nicholson, whose father, Seth, was an astronomer at Mt. Wilson during Hubble’s time,
recalls playing in the snow and hiking in the hills among the score or more of scientific buildings and collection
of small houses, one of which was once occupied by Albert Einstein. Nicholson, who lives in West Los Angeles,
also recalled the strict, Byzantine rules of hierarchy that were enforced during dinner in the dormitory, known
as the Monastery.
“At the head of the table sat the astronomer for the 100-inch,” Nicholson said. This was usually Hubble. Next to
him was the astronomer on the 60-inch. Each had a napkin ring appropriate to his status.
Mt. Wilson’s reign lasted until work was completed on
the 200-inch Palomar Observatory telescope in San
Diego County in 1949. Mt. Wilson’s telescopes have
been far surpassed by others, but the observatory is
still proving its worth as a research institution, even
if its days of big, sweeping cosmological discoveries
have long passed.
Two observatories are probing subsurface
structures in the sun to better understand the solar
cycle and its impact on Earth’s weather. Mt. Wilson
also is home to the six-telescope CHARA array that
is measuring the size and shapes of stars, said Hal
McAlister, director of the observatory. “Mt. Wilson
remains a terrific site for astronomy,” he said.
Hooker Telescope, historic photo
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Nota b le P eo p le
Benjamin Davis Wilson (Don Benito)
Mount Wilson was named after Benjamin Davis Wilson, one of
the sites early developers and entrepreneurs. See the attached
article, “Hotels in the Sky: Bygone Mountaintop Resorts of L.A.”
to learn more about the mountain’s pre-observatory days, and
it’s namesake’s role in the early development.
Benjamin Davis Wilson (1811-1878) was a California statesman and
politician. He was known to the Native Americans as Don Benito
because of his benevolent manner in his treatment of Indian affairs.
Wilson, a native of Tennessee, was a fur trapper and trader before
coming to California.
Detained in Southern California while attempting to obtain passage
to China, Wilson decided to remain there. He married Ramona Yorba,
daughter of Bernardo Yorba, a wealthy and prominent landowner, and
Benjamin “Don Benito” Wilson, ca. 1870
purchased part of Rancho Jurupa in what would become Riverside
County. Wilson was made Justice of the Peace for the Inland Territory and
was entrusted with the care of Indian affairs. He was also commissioned
to deal with the hostile Ute tribe over their cattle rustling and other crimes against the ranchers. His marriage to
his second wife, Margaret Hereford produced a daughter Ruth who would later be mother to General George S.
Patton Jr. commander of U.S. and allied forces during World War II.
Wilson became the first non-Hispanic owner of Rancho San Pascual, which encompassed today’s towns of
Pasadena, Altadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra, San Marino and San Gabriel. Wilson was the second elected
Mayor of Los Angeles for one term, Los Angeles County Supervisor and served three terms as a California State
Senator.
George Ellery Hale
Though little celebrated today, George Hale (1868-1938) was and is a titan of science and culture. His creation
of the Observatory atop Mount Wilson was just the beginning of his creative influence on Pasadena, Southern
California, and the world.
At the age of twenty he is the first to identify conclusively the
presence of carbon in the sun’s spectrum – the first non-metallic
element discovered anywhere outside of the earth. A year later
he invents the spectroheliograph, which isolates and shows the
distribution of any one chemical vapor in the sun’s atmosphere. It
also permits the photographing of the sun’s prominences, which
before then had only been seeable during a total eclipse.
George Ellery Hale
At 36 he inspires Andrew Carnegie to fund the construction
of the magnificent Observatory on Mount Wilson, and within
15 years raises more funds and has constructed a cutting edge
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physics lab and an optical shop, the most advanced of its day, in Pasadena, one horizontal and two tower solar
telescopes, and the 60-inch and 100-inch night sky telescopes, both of which have expanded our understanding
of the universe and our place in it.
In short order after the Observatory’s founding, Hale and his fellow scientists take photographs of the spectra
(spread-out light) of sunspots and determine that they are regions of reduced temperature in the solar atmosphere.
The same technique was applied to taking the temperature of distant stars, the beginning of the study of the
evolution of stars. Then he discovers magnetism in the sun by finding Zeeman lines in sunspot spectra, the first
detection of an electromagnetic field outside the earth, by an observation method that had previously shown
results only in earthly laboratories.
He also is responsible for the 200-inch telescope at Mount Palomar. He is the force behind the birth of Caltech,
which has educated and provided a workplace for so many influential culture changers and spawned so many
scientific and technological enterprises. He cajoled and finally convinced Henry Huntington to provide the
endowment for the internationally important research center for the humanities that is the Huntington Library
and Art Gallery. His plans for Pasadena’s public centers have helped make it a place of distinction. And Mount
Wilson inspired Griffith J. Griffith to build L.A.’s iconic landmark, the Griffith Observatory to make astronomy
accessible to the public.
– Dan Kohne
George W. Ritchey
George W. Ritchey (1864-1945) made his first reflecting
telescope when he was a student in college. He continued
to work with telescopes, both creating mirrors and adapting
existing telescopes for photography.
His expertise led astronomer George Ellery Hale to choose
him to design the 60-inch reflecting telescope at Mount
Wilson Observatory.
First, Ritchey built a machine to grind and polish the glass
mirror. The machine combined cast-iron grinding tools, water,
and a new kind of grinding material called carborundum,
which was almost as hard as diamond, to grind and polish
the 60-inch glass disk.
George W. Ritchey pictured with French optician, Henri
Chretien. They went on to design the now famous RitcheyChretien optical system affectionately known as the RC.
Ritchey was extremely careful to keep dust out of the
polishing shop, knowing that dust on the surface of the disk
during the grinding and polishing would affect its shape. He varnished the walls and ceilings and kept the cement
floor wet. He sealed the windows and had the incoming air filtered. He put a canvas screen over the mirror to
protect its surface from falling particles. Only the optician, dressed in a surgical cap and gown, was allowed to
enter the shop. Ritchey was ahead of his time: Today important telescope parts are normally made in special
dust-free environments, called clean rooms.
Ritchey was also careful to protect the finished mirror against changes in temperature, because temperature
changes cause glass to expand and contract. Ritchey covered the dome with a canvas screen and a canopy of
blankets. The shutters were almost airtight and kept closed during the day, when temperatures rose.
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The telescope, completed in 1908, was designed to
be used in many different ways. Ritchey introduced
the “Coudé system” — a novel way of deflecting
the light outside the telescope to instruments
too heavy to be attached to the tube. This freed
astronomers to choose among many instruments
to analyze the light. The telescope was used to do
photography and spectroscopy, using cameras and
spectroscopes. In the future, many large reflectors
followed Ritchey’s example and were built with a
similarly flexible design. In fact, you could say that
the 60-inch reflecting telescope was really the first
modern telescope.
John D. Hooker
John Daggett Hooker (1838-1911), was an American
ironmaster, amateur scientist and astronomer, and
philanthropist who made the initial donations for
the 100-inch Hooker Telescope. Hooker made his
fortune in hardware and steel-pipe, rising to Vice
President of Baker Iron Works. He then went on to serve as President of Western Union Oil Company. He
founded the California Academy of Sciences.
Andrew Carnegie’s visit to Mt. Wilson Observatory in 1910.
From left: George Ellery Hale, J. H. McBride, John Muir, H. F. Osborn,
John Daggett Hooker, J. A. B. Scherer, and Andrew Carnegie
Through a collaboration with George Ellery Hale, he brought a 10-inch telescope to the Mount Wilson Solar
Observatory. He later partly funded the creation of the 100-inch reflector, with additional underwriting via the
Carnegie Institute. A falling-out between Hooker and Hale lasted until Hooker’s death in 1911, but the remaining
funds were secured, and the telescope became operational in 1917.
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble (1889–1953) received his first telescope – a gift built by his
grandfather – when he was only 8 years old. One of seven children born to a
family in Missouri, Hubble developed an early passion for astronomy but put off
pursuing his dream because his father, an insurance agent, wanted him to study
law.
So in college, Hubble quietly studied astronomy and physics, along with law. He
went to school in Britain, and returned to the United States to teach high school
and coach basketball. Yet he continued to pursue astronomy studies, and in 1915
earned time on one of the Yerkes Observatory telescopes, launching his new
career. Hubble was quick to invent a new life for himself and eventually separated
himself from his family. Few knew anything about his background.
Edwin Hubble
Hubble’s discoveries at the Mount Wilson Observatory would change the way we viewed the universe. With his
enthusiasm for astronomy and recognition, Hubble would be pleased to know how his fame lives on: The Hubble
Space Telescope was named in his honor.
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Einstein at Mount Wilson
Albert Einstein would make his first of several visits to Mount Wilson
in 1931 while serving as a research associate at the California Institute
of Technology.
Above: Einstein (right) at the top of the 150-foot solar tower at the
Mount Wilson Observatory, with solar physicist Charles St. John
(middle) and mathematician Walther Mayer (left). Jan. 29, 1931
Right: Einstein, Edwin Hubble, Mayer, Walter S. Adams, Arthur S.
King, and William W. Campbell (left to right) in front of the 100-inch
telescope dome at Mount Wilson Observatory, Jan. 29, 1931
Arthur H. Vaughan, Ph.D.
The Da Camera Society dedicates this afternoon’s festival and concerts to the
memory of Arthur Vaughan (19 July 1934 - 2 May 2015).
Art, along with Robert Ferguson, co-founded the Mount Wilson Institute (MWI) in
1986, which eventually took over operational management of the observatory. Art’s
efforts were invaluable in the preservation of this historic facility where science
continues today.
A graduate of Cornell University, Art received his doctorate in Physics, Mathematics
and Astronomy from the University of Rochester. From the time he was awarded a
Carnegie Institution Fellowship at Mount Wilson in 1964, his career path included
Art Vaughan
involvement with countless optical design projects at The Observatories in
Pasadena, Perkin Elmer, Caltech and JPL, including the HK Photometer at Mount
Wilson, Carnegie’s Las Campanas DuPont telescope in Chile, AVIRIS, Galex, the Mars Spectrometer Telescope,
and the Hubble Wide Field Planetary Camera, both as an original designer, and as part of the repair.
The Da Camera Society first presented Chamber Music in Historic Sites concerts at Mount Wilson Observatory
in 1990. Art reached out to the Society again in 2014, inviting us to return to Mount Wilson for another set of
concerts. Throughout the meeting and planning process, Art enthusiastically shared stories about astronomy, the
cosmos, and the history of the observatory. He was a warm and welcoming presence. We feel fortunate to have
shared time with Art, and are grateful to him for making these concerts and festival possible.
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My Remembrances of Art Vaughan
by Robert Ferguson,
Cofounder, Mount Wilson Institute
In June of 1985 I read an article in the Pasadena Star News that the Carnegie Institution of
Washington had closed the 100-inch telescope at Mount Wilson and was planning to shut down
the Mount Wilson Observatory.
The idea of the Mount Wilson Institute began on a Sunday afternoon in the latter part of 1985
when I invited Art Vaughan and his wife Ann to join my wife and I at our house for lunch. Together
we talked about ways to save the Mount Wilson Observatory, including the 100" telescope and
its dome. We came out of the lunch with optimism and a vision. We were optimistic because Art
and I had a common goal. Further, we fit. Art was a well-recognized astronomer with close ties to
Carnegie. I was an amateur astronomer, who had taught courses in telescope optics at two major
universities, and an attorney who knew how to create a new business.
Art then arranged to have use of the Carnegie’s conference room for meetings. We then put
together a board of trustees for the organization that was to become the Mount Wilson Institute.
We met monthly. With these meetings the organization took shape and made some realistic plans
for its future.
In January of 1986 Art and I agreed that it was time to incorporate the Mount Wilson Institute.
He was the president and under his direction MWI became very successful. MWI did not have
control of Mount Wilson, but with Art in charge of MWI things began to happen on Mount
Wilson. In September of 1986 the U.S. Naval Observatory began operation of its Mark III Stellar
Interferometer. Then, in 1988 Dr. Charles Townes of UC Berkley began operation of the Infrared
Spatial Interferometer.
Finally, in January of 1989, after several spirited conferences with Art, me and the Chairman of
the Carnegie Observatories, Carnegie turned over management of Mount Wilson Observatory
to MWI: That meant that MWI was not only responsible supervising the operation of the two
interferometers, but for the general upkeep.
But Art was always an astronomer. For example, one afternoon after Art and I had spent over an
hour on the phone discussing a cottage’s roof repair problem, Art interrupted and said, “Wait a
minute”. Then he paused, and said “Shucks”. When I asked what was wrong, he told me that while
we were talking, he was running a computer program to determine if there was any degeneration
in a particle of light that traveled through the dust and galaxies in the universe. The “shucks”
was because the answer was “no”. (If the answer had been yes, Art would have had the basis for
publishing a groundbreaking article in “Astronomical Journal” or “Nature”.)
In 1990 a new summer program, the Consortium for Undergraduate Research and Education in
Astronomy (CUREA) was begun.
While all this was going on, Art was doing a few other things in addition to his job at JPL:
• In the late 1970s he designed Wide Field and Planetary Camera for Hubble Space
Telescope (HST). He did this with a pocket calculator at home on the dining room table.
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When the high-ranking heads at JPL learned of this they had a hissy fit and sent Art’s
calculations back to Kodak to double check. It sent JPL a short memo saying that the
design was fine, and a very large bill.
• After the HST was launched in 1990, Art was sent to Florida to do astronomical
calculations with the HST to determine the extent of the imperfections in its primary
mirror. He also worked on the lens that corrected the imperfections. For this he received
a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal in 1993.
Our operation of MWI was so successful that it required most of our spare time. As a result, in 1991,
we had to turn the operation of MWI over to Dr. Robert Jastrow, whom Art had learned had just
retired as a Professor of Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College. Art then worked closely with Dr.
Jastrow, and in 1995 Georgia State University selected Mount Wilson as site for the CHARA stellar
interferometer array. Today it is in full operation.
Art was active in MWI until his death. And, for the last several years he and I would frequently
meet for lunch, either after a board trustees meeting or just because we wanted to, to discuss
plans for the future of Mount Wilson. Art and those lunches are missed.
Print Sources:
“George W. Ritchey,” AmazingSpace.org
“Mount Wilson Observatory,” Dan Kohne
“John Daggett Hooker,” Wikipedia, 2016
“Mount Wilson Observatory: Facts & Discoveries,”
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, July 18, 2014
“Edwin Hubble,” AmazingSpace.org
“Mt. Wilson Observatory: Center of Scientific Breakthroughs,”
John Johnson, Jr., Los Angeles Times, Sept. 1, 2009
“Benjamin Davis Wilson,” Wikipedia, 2016
“George Ellery Hale,” Dan Kohne
“My Remembrances of Art Vaughan,” Bob Ferguson, Cofounder,
Mount Wilson Institute, March 6, 2016
“Einstein and the Astronomers,” Kevin Durkin, Verso, March 13, 2015
Mount Wilson Observatory website, mtwilson.edu
Images:
Mt. Wilson Observatory; Telescope Glass, 1917; Hooker Telescope; New Antenna Towers, 1964 [Courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library];
Fire near Mt. Wilson, 2009 [Courtesy of UCLA Tower Camera]; Don Benito Wilson, 1870 [Courtesy of Wikipedia]; Gregory Ellery Hale
[Courtesy of University of Chicgago, Yerkes Obvservatory]; Carnegie visits Mt. Wilson [Courtesy of American Institute of Physics, Emilio
Serge Visual Archive]; George Ritchey & Henri Chretien; Edwin Hubble [Courtesy of Huntington Library]; Art Vaughan [Courtesy of
Georgia State University]; Einstein on solar tower; Einstein, et. al. at Hooker Telescope [Courtesy of Huntington Library]; Hooker Telescope
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S el f- Gu i d e d Wa lk i n g To u r
Take a self-guided walking tour of the observatory grounds, starting from the Pavilion, located between the
lower and upper parking lots. Enjoy a talk at the Astronomical Museum/Auditorium (presented four times
throughout the afternoon), stop in at the base of the 150-foot Solar Telescope to learn about the tracking of
solar flares, and check out the historic photo exhibit in the dome of the famed 60-inch Telescope. Docents
from Mount Wilson Institute will be available along the route to answer questions.
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Pavilion
Large covered area; spectacular vistas
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Astronomical Museum/Auditorium
Interior access
• 2, 3, 4 & 5:00 pm: Talk about Mount Wilson’s place within the history of astronomy (20 mins. each)
The present museum was built in 1937, replacing an earlier, smaller structure. On display are many of the early
high-quality photographs taken through the observatory’s telescopes. Note the scale model of the observatory
made in the 1920s. Also shown are a fly-ball governor originally used in the clockwork drive that guided one of
the telescopes, one of the original mirror-polishing tools, and more. Various diagrams and brochures describe
the current activities.
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Tower, 150-ft Solar Telescope
Interior access
Built in 1910, this telescope remained the largest such instrument in the world until 1962. It uses a novel towerwithin-a-tower construction to minimize wind-caused vibration. Many types of solar research have been conducted
here. Daily hand drawings of sunspots and their magnetic fields began in 1917 and continued today, providing a
valuable uninterrupted record for researchers. The instrument, now operated by the University of California,
Los Angeles (UCLA), is used primarily for recording the magnetic field distribution across the Sun’s face several
times a day. Analysis of these measurements over the long term is another invaluable tool in predictions of solar
activity.
Stop in and visit Steve Padilla in the small room at the base of the 150-foot tower. For the last 30 years, Steve
Padilla has been Mount Wilson’s Solar Observer — documenting solar flares on a daily basis.
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Snow Solar Telescope
Originally donated by Helen Snow to the Yerkes Observatory, this horizontal telescope was moved here in 1904.
It became the first permanent instrument on Mt. Wilson, and gave the best solar images and spectrographic data
up to that time. It is used now primarily for astronomical education.
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60-ft Solar Telescope
Built in 1908, this instrument pioneered vertical telescope layout and was immediately put to good use when
Hale discovered magnetic fields in sunspots (the first magnetic fields found outside the Earth). It is operated
today by the University of Southern California (USC) for studies of helioseismology, improving our understanding
of the interior of the Sun.
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6
Dome, 16-in Telescope
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Dome, 60-in Telescope
Interior access
• Historic photo exhibit (see description below)
This revolutionary telescope was completed in 1908. It quickly showed that large silver-on-glass reflectors were
practical, establishing the basic design for future observatory telescopes. Its 5-foot-diameter mirror made it the
largest telescope in the world until 1917.
Designed to operate in several different optical configurations to allow various types of research, it was the first
large telescope built primarily for photographic and spectrographic use. One early accomplishment among many
was the first measurement of the Milky Way galaxy’s size and our position in it.
Used for visual observing, the 60-inch provides an amazing experience. Currently the 60-inch is used by private
groups such as amateur astronomers, family groups, schools, etc. Full nights or half nights may be scheduled
through the Mount Wilson Institute.
Historic Photo Exhibit curated by Dan Kohne: Stop in to view images of celestial objects
captured through the 60-inch telescope during the early part of the 20th century.
This is Not a Nebula!
On Christmas Eve, 1908 George Willis Ritchey ascended the mountains above Pasadena to take a
photograph with the newly completed sixty-inch telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory. He had spent
the previous four years designing, engineering, crafting, and guiding the construction of every element of
this great telescope, the first in the world built expressly to take images of deep space. This night Ritchey
would train the massive camera on the Great Nebula in Orion, the middle “star” of Orion’s sword.
To a sharp human eye, with a light gathering lens of less than half-inch diameter, this massive cauldron of
star birthing gasses is a bright but cloudy thing, even through a telescope. Persistence of vision for us lasts
less than a tenth of a second or so; for us to see the true structure of the Nebula, the emitted photons must
be accumulated somehow. This night would be a test of the telescope’s sixty inch mirrored glass pupil and
its photographic capabilities.
Over the course of four hours, Ritchey finessed the light coming from the skies, light that had been travelling
for over thirteen hundred years to reach his mirror and be captured in photographic chemicals layered on
a large glass plate.
To put this in perspective: Ansel Adams was an artful manipulator of light in its path through a negative
onto photographic printing paper. He had the luxury of trial and error- he could always make another print.
The negative Ritchey produced is stunning, beautiful. The Orion nebula, its stardust roiling, from ropy to
filigreed to veil-like, feels ominous, seductive. Ritchey’s mastery that night is astounding.
Over the course of the next ten years he would produce many finely resolved images of celestial objects.
We are presenting new prints of the glass plate artifacts taken by Ritchey – the full image: markings,
notations, cracks, aging and all. Like the far travelling light that fell onto them a hundred years ago they
embody a kind of time travel.
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8
Dome, 100-in Hooker Telescope (concert location)
• 1, 3 & 5:00 pm: Chamber Music in Historic Sites concerts (1 hour each) featuring Tapestry
• Throughout afternoon: Outdoor reception, outside the dome (moved to Pavilion in case of rain)
Named for the industrialist friend of Hale who funded the mirror, this instrument was completed in 1917. The
largest telescope in the world until 1948, it has been used in every kind of nighttime astronomical research,
including studies of stars, nebulae, galaxies, planets and their satellites, and much more. The best-known among
the many discoveries made with this telescope were those of Edwin Hubble and Milton Humason in the 1920s,
proving that spiral nebulae are distant galaxies outside the Milky Way, and that the Universe is expanding. These
discoveries laid the foundations of modern cosmology and led to the present Big Bang theory.
The capabilities of the 100-inch are kept modern by using the latest instruments. In recent years it has been used
by Harvard/Smithsonian and Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists in the search for planets around other stars,
for evaluating large numbers of stars as candidates for space observatories, and for studies of experimental laser
communication with spacecraft.
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CHARA Laboratory
This is a six-telescope stellar interferometer array built and operated by Georgia State University’s Center for
High Angular Resolution Astronomy. Its 40-inch mirrors and 1080-foot maximum separation make it the largest
such device in the world operating at visible wavelengths. The detail-resolving ability of interferometer arrays
(and telescopes in general) depends on their diameter, so the CHARA array is able to see details of stars and the
regions near them better than any previous instrument.
The six telescopes are arranged in a “Y” configuration, with two on each “arm”. The two telescope domes of the
south arm are visible near the 60-inch dome, as are the 8-inch-diameter vacuum pipes that carry the starlight
from the telescopes to a central beam-combining building near the 100-inch dome.
Here the beam lengths are first equalized to one-millionth of an inch while compensating for the apparent motion
of the stars and the spacing between the telescopes. This is done with a system of computer-controlled mirrors
on precision motorized carts. These move on straight tracks 200 feet long in a room with extremely stable air
held at a constant temperature. Next the beams are brought together and allowed to “interfere”, producing
“fringe” patterns unique to each observed object. Finally, computer processing can extract image details from
the fringe patterns.
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CHARA Exhibit Hall
Interior access
Attached to the main CHARA office and control building near the 100-inch dome, this hall features attractive
displays describing the operation and early results of the CHARA stellar interferometer array. These include
diagrams of the optical system as well as detailed images of the surfaces of stars produced from analysis of the
optical “fringes” produced by the interferometer.
The centerpiece of the exhibit hall is the world’s first stellar interferometer, the 20-foot beam interferometer
that was designed by Albert Michelson, the Nobel-Prize-winning physicist. It was installed periodically on top the
100-inch telescope between 1920 and 1930. Its resolution was adequate to measure the diameters of seven large
stars (Betelgeuse, Arcturus, etc,). This pioneering instrument was the direct ancestor of modern interferometers
such as CHARA and ISI.
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Hotels in the Sky: Bygone Mountaintop Resorts of L.A.
By Daniel Medina
KCET, 2014
The population boom of the 1880s brought
mountain fever to Los Angeles. The recreational
explosion known as the “Great Hiking Era” of
the San Gabriels saw millions of Angelenos
charge into their local mountains like never
before. In pursuit of recreation, reinvigoration,
and escape from the confines of burgeoning
urbanity, people began to crave scenic mountain
environments. Capitalizing on this blooming
demand, entrepreneurs built resort camps to lure
the throngs of weekend trekkers into an overnight
stay. The accommodations, whether rudimentary
or elegant, offered a sublime experience not soon
to be forgotten.
Aerial view of Echo Mountain House and the San Gabriel Valley.
Mount Lowe Observatory is in the lower right corner of the photo.
Mount Wilson and the First Modern Hiking Trail
Perhaps the most famous summit in the San Gabriels, Mount Wilson has served as a gateway into the mountains since
the indigenous Tongva blazed a trade path up Little Santa Anita Canyon to the top. In April of 1864, Benjamin D. Wilson,
former El Pueblo de Los Angeles Mayor and owner of foothill-adjacent Rancho La Huerta de Cuati, desired the bounty of
pine and cedar gleaming on its peak. The wealthy landowner and his party of laborers cleared a new trail along the former
Indian path by the end of the summer. Wilson harvested the timber for a few weeks but soon abandoned the enterprise,
making no more use of the trail or the mountain that today bears his name.
The footpath would not go unused for long. A few years after his death in 1878, Wilson’s trail was repurposed for the
“Great Hiking Era” that was getting underway in Los Angeles. Residents eager to visit the lofty forested summit that they
could see from the valley lowlands took to the well-worn trail in record numbers. By 1906, hikers from Downtown Los
Angeles or Pasadena could board the Pacific Electric’s “Big Red Cars” and disembark at line’s end at the trailhead.
As the peak’s popularity grew locally, efforts were underway to market its
allure to the world. Excellent atmospheric conditions on Mount Wilson
attracted investors interested in constructing a mountaintop observatory.
As soon as funds were secured, a 13-inch photographic telescope, weighing
3,700 pounds, was purchased and arrived in Sierra Madre in February of
1889, and was hauled up a widened trail by horse and man power to a small
observatory building. By that May, astronomers began photographing the
stars from their perch 5,700 feet above Los Angeles.
Portrait of Benjamin (Don Benito) Wilson
Knowing that Mount Wilson would soon be drawing even more visitors
with its latest scientific curiosity, local entrepreneurs set out to develop
tourism on its summit. Pasadenan Peter Steil established Steil’s Camp, a
popular resort offering transportation, lodging, and meals for under three
dollars. Steil’s was rivaled by an adjacent resort founded by the hostile
A.G. Strain, who became convinced that Steil was infringing on his land
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rights. Strain even sued Steil in court in 1891, but he was
ultimately handed a defeat. Steil sold his camp to Clarence
S. Martin, who expanded the resort, later known as Martin’s
Camp, to accommodate a framed dining room and more
guest rooms.
When the automobile craze surged in the 1920s, families
were finally able to reach the summit on four wheels. Driving
up the harrowing Mountain Wilson toll road, which was
open to the public from 1912 to 1936, deposited weekend
adventures at the doorstep of the Mount Wilson Hotel.
Rebuilt after burning down in 1913, the hotel, complete with
a dining room and swimming pool, was a popular lodging for
Southern Californians. The landmark hotel would be torn
down in 1966.
Rudimentary observatory on Mount Wilson
Baldy Summit Inn: The Highest Hotel in L.A. County
Before the 1880s, recorded ascents of Mount Baldy, the
tallest mountain in the San Gabriels, were slim. As the
mountain entered the golden age of recreation, however, a
rush was on to scale its imposing wind-swept “bald” summit.
Ontario mountaineer William B. Dewey made his first ascent
in 1882, and was so impressed with the experience that he
decided to erect a camp just eighty yards below the summit.
In 1910, the Baldy Summit Inn was open for business on a
mountaintop prone to strong winds and unpredictable
weather.
A view of A.G. Strain’s camp at Mount Wilson, ca.1898
If hiking was not appealing to summit seekers, horses and
burros would bring them up to the summit, where the
stunned arrivals took refuge in anchored tents for one
dollar. Dewey’s wife prepared the meals in the cooking tent,
but unfortunately this particular tent would lead to the Inn’s
demise. A fire broke out in the cooking tent in the summer of
1913 and destroyed nearby accommodations. Dewey chose
not to rebuild, and his three years operating the highest
resort in L.A County came to a close.
Two decades later, plans were proposed by L.A.
entrepreneurs to design a railway to the top of Baldy and
build a grand hotel at its peak. Unlike Mount Lowe to the
west, the summit of Mount Baldy would never see any type
of development.
The Might of the Mount Lowe Railway
Two Men with donkeys and tents on Mount Wilson, California,
1887. Martins Camp on the Old Trail
And from treasures and tributes of forest and mine,
And stone that are quarried from canyon and glen,
Arises a Temple – an altar divine, Where the stars
shall come down and hold council with men.
– Excerpt from “Message of Mount Lowe”
by James G. Clark, 1894
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It was on a buzzing Fourth of July, 1893, when a man named
Professor Thaddeus Sobieski Coulincourt Lowe launched one
of the most ambitious recreational experiences ever undertaken
in the San Gabriel Mountains. Professor Lowe, a wealthy retired
American Civil War aeronaut, inventor, and scientist, had
partnered with Pasadena engineer David Joseph Macpherson
to construct a much sought after scenic mountain railroad for
tourists and recreators. The Mount Lowe Railway was divided
into three sections: the Mountain Division, the Great Incline, and
the Alpine Division.
A group of people on the top of the mountain look at
Pasadena from Martin’s Camp, Wilson’s Peak
Exterior view of a tavern at Wilson’s Peak, ca.1900
The rail journey began as far as Terminal Island in San Pedro,
where people boarded one of the twice-daily Los Angeles
Terminal Railway cars that carried them to the remote Mountain
Junction stop at the corner of Lake Avenue and Calaveras
Street in unincorporated Altadena. From Mountain Junction
passengers rode a narrow gauge trolley to a large platform that
spanned Rubio Canyon. A twelve room hotel, the Rubio Pavilion,
welcomed guests at the platform. From here guests climbed
into an astonishing feat of engineering, the three-railed funicular
known as the “Great Incline.”
The funicular slowly raised passengers to grades as steep as 62%
as it made its incredible climb up the precipitous curves of Echo
Mountain, at one time crossing a granite chasm over 150 feet
wide. A shock of white greeted the rail cars at the summit in the
form of the Echo Mountain House. A two story 80-room Victorian
hotel with panoramic views of Los Angeles from valley to sea, the
stately edifice contained a grand lobby and dining room. On the
grounds of what was known as the “White City,” guests could
explore a working observatory, a museum, more than 30 miles
of bridle paths and hiking trails, a small zoo, and to everyone’s
curiosity, what was then the world’s largest searchlight at three
million candlepower and a height of eleven feet that illuminated
the valley floor at night.
The end of the line in the Alpine Division rested two and a half
miles further near the summit of Mount Lowe. Here, in an area
called Crystal Springs, awed visitors could stay at the Swiss chaletstyled Ye Alpine Tavern nestled among pines, oaks, and spruces.
The hotel featured a sweeping dining room capable of seating
200, a roaring fireplace, a system of trails leading to romantic
vistas, and a pony train that drew from the Tavern twice a day.
Group of hunters at the summit of Mount Baldy, ca. 1890
Although Professor Lowe’s “temple” was a wildly popular
weekend getaway and renowned worldwide, financial profits
eluded him. He was forced to sell the railway property in 1899,
and he died penniless in 1913 in his daughter’s Pasadena home.
Disaster steadily followed over the years as fires destroyed the
White City and the Tavern, and floods wrecked the rails and the
Rubio Pavilion. The Mount Lowe Railway was officially abandoned
in 1939, and today the ruins are a popular hiking destination.
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Baldy Summit Inn, ca 1910
Tanner cars at Mt. Wilson, American Chemical Society trip, 1927
Passengers on Mount Lowe passenger train, ca. 1912
Group of nine people riding mules on the trail to Mount Wilson
An aerial view of the Cable Incline rail tracks
View of Mt. Lowe’s cable incline at the Rubio Pavilion. A group
poses in the car at the bottom of the incline
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View of hotel guests at the front of Echo Mountain House
Redondo High School students arrive at Mt. Lowe Tavern for a
snow battle royal, January 22, 1930
Visitors travel on the Great Incline portion of the Mt. Lowe Railway
View from the Alpine Division section of the Mount Lowe Railway
in an area known as the Circular Bridge
View of Echo Mountain Station, 3500 ft. above sea level. A spotlight
is mounted on top of the building.
Director Dr. Edward Larkin stands outside the Mt. Lowe Observatory
The Incline rail car “Echo” and another car named “Alpine” are
both approaching the widened portion of the Incline Rail where
they can pass, one ascending and the other descending
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Mount Lowe area after fire
View of Echo Mountain House
Interior view of Ye Alpine Tavern
A large dining room, possibly Ye Alpine Tavern in Crystal Springs
A Pacific Electric Railway car travels through the San Gabriel
Mountains on one of the sections leading to and from Mount Lowe
Family photo taken on Mount Lowe
A grip wheel, 9 feet in diameter, and other parts of the winding
machinery at the Echo Mountain cable house and used to pull the
cable cars up and down the Incline portion of the railway
A grip wheel once part of the cable winding machinery
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One of the Oldest Pieces of L.A. Television History
is Up For Sale on Mt. Wilson
By Bianca Barragan
Curbed Los Angeles, 2015
Mt. Wilson is easy to pick out of a mountain lineup; it’s the
one with all the antennas. (It’s also home to an incredible
observatory, but that’s harder to see from afar.) Several
of those antennas are going up for sale, reports the L.A.
Business Journal – they’re in what’s called the Poole Tower
Complex, a 6,000-square-foot parcel that holds four
transmitter towers for TV and radio, as well as a transmitter
building, according to this brief listing from Media Services
Group, which is helping Poole Properties Inc. with the sale.
“This is beachfront property in the world of tower sites,” a
rep for MSG says.
TV antennae on Mount Wilson seen from the Angeles Crest Hwy.
The Poole Tower Complex was developed by Los Angeles
radio broadcasting pioneer John H. Poole in the 1950s. A
radio fanatic since childhood (family lore says Poole was putting out live radio broadcasts for Aimee Semple McPherson
when he was just 16), he’d had enormous success in radio before creating his Mt. Wilson antenna farm, launching radio
station KBIG-AM on Catalina Island. “[B]ecause radio waves travel best over salt water, Poole knew that a Catalina-based
transmitter would broadcast a stronger signal throughout Southern California,” the L.A. Times wrote in Poole’s 2004
obituary. He was right, and suddenly people all over Southern California who had never received L.A. County radio
stations before were finally able to hear them.
In 1952, Poole scored L.A.’s first commercial UHF TV station permit for KBIK Channel 22. According to an article written
by Los Angeles-based radio programming consultant KM Richards in 1953, the channel, renamed KBIC, was transmitting
from atop Mt. Wilson. KBIC-TV wasn’t too riveting—it didn’t really have any programming, so it just showed the station
ID slide 24 hours a day. Poole’s son told the L.A. Times that Poole got into TV too early, and that despite all the research
he had done in order to get the station up and running, “the market wasn’t there yet.” It went off the air, predictably, but
came back and had some success. Channel 22 still exists, and is now owned by Telemundo. Stations that broadcast today
from the Poole Tower Complex include KBIG-FM (104.3), KYSR-FM (98.7), KXOS-FM (93.9), and Channel 22, KWHY-TV.
It’s expected to sell for between $5 and $10 million.
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This afternoon’s Mount Wilson Festival and concerts
are made possible in part by a generous grant from
The Premium Series is consponsored by Sally & Irwin Goldstein,
and this concert is cosponsored by Alexandra & Victor Levine.
The Da Camera Society dedicates this afternoon’s festival and concert to the memory of Arthur H. Vaughan, Ph.D. (1934-2015),
Co-Founder, former-Director, and Trustee of Mount Wilson Institute. Art’s efforts were invaluable in the preservation of this
historic facility where science continues today.
Special thanks to our hosts for their gracious hospitality and generous assistance: Mount Wilson Institute, Thomas Meneghini,
Executive Director. Additional thanks to Dan Kohne, Trustee, Mount Wilson Institute, for his guidance and generous assistance;
Robert Ferguson, Co-founder, Mount Wilson Institute; Steve Padilla, Mount Wilson Observatory’s Solar Observer; and the
Docents of Mount Wilson Institute.