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Detroit Observatory
IMAGE TITLE DESCRIP IMAGE TITLE DESCRIP IMAGE TITLE DESCRIP IMAGE TITLE DESCRIP	Said to be President Tappan’s “greatest achievement” (41), the Detroit observatory was dedicated to astronomical studies.[100] Completed in 1854, it gets its name from the location of the donators who funded its construction: Honorable Henry N. Walker, General Lewis Cass, Henry Porter Baldwin, and Senator Zachariah Chandler. The building, with its instruments, came to a total cost of $22,000. [100] The site chosen was on top of a hill overlooking the Huron River. Once far from the city, the Detroit Observatory sits within the heart of the built up Hill District, across from the Medical Campus, on the corner of East Ann and Observatory Streets. The original structure, which still remains today, contains two small wings linked to a central structure topped with a revolving dome. Within the 21 foot dome is the 12 inch refracting telescope, a very effective instrument for that time.[100] In 1868, a residence was added since the observatory was so far from campus. This structure was built on the west end, and later enlarged in 1905. It was demolished in 1954 when the Couzens Hall addition was added.[100] Another major addition came in 1908 , which extended from the south of the original building. The new structure contained an even larger dome (40 feet in diameter) which houses the reflecting telescope. The copper plated dome opened and closed by sliding on casting pulled by a rope.[100] This portion of the building was demolished as well. All that remains today is the original observatory structure constructed under the direction of Henry Tappan. Although the equipment is still functional, it no longer is used for actual research. It is now a museum, open to the public.
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