The Observatory
A special BAS meeting at the home of Clarence T. Jones on February 2, 1935 was called to discuss possible funding options regarding the construction of an observatory for the City of Chattanooga. A series of papers or articles were then to be published in The Chattanooga Times Forum by Dr. J. Park McCallie. Those present were Arthur Brading, W. P. Delaney, Rev. R. C. Jahns, President Clarence T. Jones, Secretary Paul S. Lewis, Dr. J. Park McCallie, and W. H. Wilson. Several of which agreed to answer those articles with their own letters submitted to the paper.
The minutes for the April 23, 1935 BAS meeting (122nd) reports the BAS observatory committee had a favorable meeting with the Commissioner of Education (Mr. T. H. McMillan). Conceptual architectural building plans and “the benefits to be derived by the students of our city, as well as the populous at large” were discussed. Mr. T. H. McMillan stated afterwards that he was “considerably impressed” and expressed the opinion that an observatory project might be accomplished. A news article in The Chattanooga Times on that same day also states McMillan’s support for an observatory.
Chattanooga Daily Times article (April 23, 1935)
On June 11, 1935, a news article supported by a sketch of the proposed observatory provided by Clarence T. Jones was published in The Chattanooga Times. Commissioner McMillan again stated that he is considering recommending the construction of the observatory to the city planning board as a federal Public Works Administration (PWA) project. The cost of the building was estimated at $15,000. Architectural plans had already been drawn up and donated by Mr. Jones and the necessary donations for the separately planned 20-inch telescope had also been secured.
Conceptual Observatory Plans (October 1934)
An article in The Chattanooga Times on October 3, 1935 listed eleven approved projects by the PWA. The “astronomical observatory” at $16,000 was on that list and the L.A. Warlick company eventually ended up with the low bid contract at $15,383 (~$350,000 today). In January 1936, the small hill above Brainerd High School was donated to the commission by the Hamilton National Bank and the BAS’s dream of an observatory was finally coming to fruition.
Conceptual drawing and plans of proposed observatory (1935)
Under the direct supervision of Clarence T. Jones, ground was broken in February of 1936 and the foundation and telescope pier were laid with ceremony on May 16, 1936. The observatory was completed in June of 1936 and contained a main gallery and telescope pier within an atrium, lecture hall, library, photographic dark room, basement workshop, two lavatories, and an eighteen-foot dome to eventually house the yet to be completed telescope. Furnishings and ancillaries for the facility were donated by local merchants and patrons.
Photograph of newly built “Brainard Observatory” (Image Credit: Bruce Jones; 1936)
The 129th meeting of the BAS was held in the lecture room of the newly constructed observatory on June 25, 1936, with about seventy-five members in attendance and Mr. Jones presiding. Commissioner McMillan and Annetta Trimble, who had named the society and had also recently been honored as the first lifetime member, were in attendance.
Photograph of newly built “Brainard Observatory” from above (Image Credit: unknown photographer)
Although originally built for the local school system and generally referred to as the “Brainard Observatory” (a building built under the PWA was unable to be named after a person), the city determined that the facility is “now a liability, rather than an asset” and donated the observatory to the then University of Chattanooga (UC) on June 16, 1944. Under the control of UC and with overwhelming support by the board of trustees, the building was finally named the “Clarence T. Jones Observatory” in 1947 after its untiring visionary and Permanent President of the BAS.
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“It's been said that astronomy is a humbling and, I might add, a character-building experience” - Carl Sagan
Image Credit: BAS Member Kevin Hon