continued from page 4
A deal was struck in April of
1932 between University of
Chicago president Robert M.
Hutching and University of
Texas at Austin president
Harry Y. Benedict for a 30-
year collaboration. Texas
would put up $375,000 to con-
struct a telescope to be operat-
ed temporarily by Chicago, a
world renowned center for
astronomical research. By pro-
viding a new, larger telescope,
the arrangement proved bene-
ficial to both parties.
While the search for the
ideal location for the observa-
tory was underway, Otto
Struve of Chicago’s Yerkes
Observatory produced a
detailed proposal for the tele-
scope design. It was to be a
reflector telescope of 80 inches
in diameter, twice the size of
the Yerkes telescope at that
time. The Warner and Swasey
Company of Cleveland, Ohio,
was selected as the prime con-
tractor.
A suitable site was located
in the Davis Mountains. Mrs.
Violet Locke McIvor donated
200 acres of land and the
mountain was named for her
grandfather. Construction of
the steel building and the
dome to house the telescope
was completed by mid-1934,
as was the foundation. Many
local men worked on the proj-
ect. Construction of the direc-
tor’s cottage was completed
and a resident astronomer,
Christian T. Elvey, was
appointed in 1935. However,
a number of problems arose in
completing the optical parts
for the telescope. Dr. David S.
Evans, associate director of
research from 1968 until
1981, told of the problems in
an article in the county history
Jeff Davis County, Texas by Lucy
Miller Jacobson and Mildred
Bloys Nored:
“An 81-inch diameter disk
of Pyrex glass was poured at
the Corning glass works...on
the last day of 1933. Four
months later when it had been
slowly cooled and annealed to
ensure that there were no
internal
stresses
which
might...cause it to split apart, it
was found to have a number of
edge fissures....Struve...insisted
the disk be re-melted, during
which procedure the restraint
gave way and the disk was
enlarged to the present 82-
inch diameter. Fortunately the
design of the mechanical parts
could accommodate the
change…The disk now went
to Cleveland to be edged, sur-
face ground and polished
ready for its front face to be
figured into the accurate con-
cave parabolic form required.
The accuracy required was of
the order of several millionths
of an inch and would be
achieved by local polishing
and sophisticated testing.”
Despite months of delays
while the exacting process
went on, Struve finally accept-
ed the mirror in October of
1938 and it was shipped by rail
to Alpine, followed by a two
day trip via truck to Mount
Locke, arriving on February 2,
1939. At the time it was the
second largest telescope in the
world. The formal dedication
took place in May, 1939.
Astronomers and the elite of
the scientific community from
around the world attended in
record numbers, overwhelm-
ing the small community of
Fort Davis and straining lodg-
ing facilities in Alpine and
Marfa. In addition to the
activities on the mountain,
they were treated to a barbe-
cue and rodeo at Prude
Ranch.
Harlan J. Smith was named
director in 1963. He would
serve in that capacity for 25
years. His first objective was to
erect a new 107-inch telescope
funded by NASA and the
National Science Foundation.
It was dedicated in November
of 1968 during a relentless
downpour, which softened the
taxiway at the Marfa airport
so much that the aircraft
bringing a party of VIPs for
the dedication bogged down.
Equipped with a massive
Main Street
Marfa
Gift Shop
Artisan bread • Cookies
Cakes • Pastries • Pies
(432) 386-5457
emily@nice-bread.com
Tues - Fri 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Sat 10 AM to 2 PM
215 N Highland Ave • Marfa
We offer free gift wrapping!
continued on page 27
D AVIS M OUNTAINS
N UT C OMPANY
2013 Chamber Events
Roasted and Dipped Pecans
You can taste the difference care makes!
July - Chili Cook-off and Dance at the Post Park
August - Birds and Butterflies of the Big Bend
September - West Fest Cabrito Cook Off at Post Park
October - Marathon to Marathon & Quilt Show
November - Cowboy Social at Ritchey Brothers Building
December - Fiesta de Noche Buena
Please stop in for FREE SAMPLES
Hwy 17 in Fort Davis • Open: Mon. - Sat. 9 to 5
Great handmade gourmet gifts!
Visit us on the web: www.allpecans.com
800-895-2101 • 432-426-2101
dmnc@allpecans.com
– go to marathontexas.com for details –
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2013
21