The Geneva Historical Society Tour of Homes

The Smith Observatory - House #8
Behind 620 Castle Street

In a letter dated May 6, 2008, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation informed John B. Mulvey that the Smith Observatory “…has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which recognizes the importance of these properties to the history of our country…” This is serious testimony to the stewardship Mr. Mulvey has provided ever since Hobart College filed a right of reversion to return ownership and responsibility of the observatory to the owner of 620 Castle Street.

You are visiting the observatory which wealthy nurseryman William Smith built, along with a fine Victorian home, to lure William R. Brooks from Phelps in 1888. Brooks, who lived and worked on Lester Road off Route 96 east of the village of Phelps, had already discovered nineteen comets before moving to Geneva. He discovered eight more using the telescope at the Smith Observatory. Only Jean-Louis Pons, a Frenchman, discovered more (28).

The Smith Observatory was a state-of-the-art building using massive amounts of concrete to stabilize and protect the delicate instruments. The telescopes and revolving dome were designed by Warner & Swasey of Cleveland, Ohio. On the first floor, a 4 inch transit telescope scans the northerly to southerly direction; on the second floor, the 10 inch refractor telescope scans a wide view of the night sky.

As you inspect all that is within the observatory notice the pristine conditions. There are few observatories remaining in the United States, and this one looks just as it appeared 122 years ago. The Smith Observatory is another one of the gems that make Geneva an amazing small city.

For more information, please check: www.smithobservatory.org