"That's all it takes, a little discovery to unearth this complete, complex history. "Each of these people had a life just as vibrant as mine," he said. The search left him wondering about the students who frequented the space and their shared interest in astronomy. Webb did not know about the former observatory before he joined the archaeology project. The discovery was especially special for Levi Webb, a rising senior studying astrophysics and anthropology. "All of that has destroyed a lot of our historic space on campus." You've got a dormitory, a basketball court," she said. According to Camp, its condition is a "miracle" given all the changes and construction that have taken place on campus. On Monday, results from a ground-penetrating radar survey revealed that most of the foundation is intact. Nick Schrader MSU Campus Archaeology students dig up the first observatory located on Michigan State's campus, next to Wills House, June 8. "That could have been easily dismissed if we hadn't had some historic maps and knowledge of that area," said Camp, who is the director of the program.Ī group of undergraduate and graduate students spent the next several weeks documenting, digging and excavating around the site until it became clear that the curious impenetrable surface was indeed the foundation of a previous school building. The program's staff cross-referenced the location with historic maps, which suggested that it was in same area of the university's first observatory. The crew later phoned the school's Campus Archaeology Program, tasked with investigating and preserving buried archaeological sites discovered accidentally on campus. Construction workers were drilling hammock posts outside a residence hall when they hit something unusually hard beneath the ground. ![]() At the time, students would observe the sky on the roof of a campus building.įast forward to this past May, 142 years later. He advocated for an observatory after the university acquired its first telescope. The former observatory was built in 1881 by Rolla Carpenter, a former student and professor who taught a host of topics from mathematics, astronomy and French. Deadline: 15-Apr-22 The Lane Arts Council’s 2022-2023 Artist Grant Program is now open to support artists of all disciplines, providing benefit to the Eugene community. ![]() The discovery gives insight into how scientific observation, as well as life on campus, has changed since the original observatory was built in 1881. ![]() Your gift enriches the lives of everyone in our communities The arts are the backbone of thriving communities. Nick Schrader The foundation of school's first observatory. Your contribution to Lane Arts Council helps build strong arts communities in Lane County by supporting artists and arts organizations, providing arts education, and ensuring accessible arts experiences.
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