History & Purpose

The Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory was constructed in 1899, as one of the original four stations selected by the International Geodetic Association to carry out systematic observations of the Earth's polar motion. The other three locations selected were in Japan, Italy and California. Shortly thereafter, observatories were established in Russia and on the campus of the University of Cincinnati.

U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey Assistant Edwin Smith of Rockville, Maryland, was assigned to oversee operations at Gaithersburg. Original plans for the Ukiah and Gaithersburg Observatories, prepared by the Central Bureau in Germany, specified that the buildings be constructed of iron. When Mr. Smith learned that replicas of the Japanese and Italian Stations could not be built within the project budget, he revised the original drawing as nearly as possible, substituting wood for the specified iron. The Gaithersburg Observatory was constructed with a double wall of Georgia and Virginia pine to provide optimal temperatures for the heat-sensitive telescope. The roof was designed in two parts which move east and west on iron wheels operated manually by a rope pulley system within the building. The six-foot, six-inch full opening was always used at Gaithersburg to accommodate the large Zenith telescope. The small size of the building and the esoteric character of the work that took place within speak modestly of the international importance of this landmark. The research provided all data used in polar motion studies for decades, and fostered international corporation which transcended the differences between man during times of war and international strain.

From its construction in 1899 until the obsolescence of man-operated telescopic observation forced its closing in 1982, the Gaithersburg Latitude Observatory played an integral role in the study of the Earth's scientific behavior.