National Landmark Status

The observatory closed in 1982 and, being unused, started to deteriorate. Fortunately, it was about this same time that the City of Gaithersburg formalized its historic preservation policies with the adoption of the Historic Preservation Ordinance. A year later, the City designated the observatory as its first officially designated historic site.

This shows the area designated as the historic resource. The Gaithersburg International Latitude Observatory is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been declared a National Historic Landmark. It includes the observatory, the meridian mark pier, and the five monuments.

To assist with its restoration, the federal agency of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conveyed the abandoned observatory to the City for historic monument purposes in May 1987, after which the City granted an easement to the Maryland Historical Trust. Funds were secured for the observatory's restoration and on December 20, 1989, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

The bestowing of the honor of National Landmark status was celebrated in a video-taped all day event on May 18, 1990, called field Day, to which the public was invited. The equipment used by the observers before the closing in 1982 was returned to the site for the day and volunteers from NOAA explained and demonstrated for the visitors. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the restored observatory carried out by the Dell Corporation. The roof was opened and Mac G. Currin, a former observer (in fact, he was the last Gaithersburg observer), explained and demonstrated the 1890 zenith telescope that was used at the station for nearly a hundred years.

Throughout the day, original instruments were on display and people associated with the observatory over the years were interviewed. One in particular was Mac G. Currin, who had been the Gaithersburg observer from 1965 until its closing in 1982. In his recollections as an observer, Mr. Currin stressed the need for precision in all aspects of the observation process. "One had to be precise for the final results to be precise. . . No program is better than its weakest point." Mr. Currin also expressed his awe about the stars: "The heavens, the planets, to me are fascinating. . . how it is in such order. . . "

Dr. Harry Butowksy, from the National Park Service, dedicated the observatory as Gaithersburg's first National Historic Landmark. Mr. Butowsky had previously compiled a theme study on astronomy landmarks for the National Register, among which was the Gaithersburg Observatory. Mayor Edward Bohrer presented the HAER (Historic American Engineering Record) drawings of the building, prepared by William Neudorfer, to the National Park Service. City Manager Sanford Daily gave a salute to the observatory stressing its importance to the community. Charles Whitten gave a historical perspective on latitude stations and Captain Charles Burroughs, of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Society, presented a special plaque.

The Observatory RM-1 Monument, dated 1966, is still used by the NOAA for positional testing of new technology in the Global Positions System (GPS) receiver, which tracks orbital satellites.

Visitors enjoy the telescope on Field Day, 1990. City of Gaithersburg Photo