University of Chicago Library Guide to the University of Chicago, Yerkes Observatory, Office of the Director Records 1891-1946 © 2008 University of Chicago Library Table of Contents Descriptive Summary 3 Information on Use 3 Access 3 Citation 3 Historical Note 3 Scope Note 4 Related Resources 5 Subject Headings 5 INVENTORY 5 Series I: 1891-1903 5 Series II: 1903-1946 8 Series III: McDonald Observatory 266 Descriptive Summary Identifier ICU.SPCL.YERKESOFCDIR Title University of Chicago. Yerkes Observatory. Office of the Director. Records Date 1891-1946 Size 118 linear feet (236 boxes) Repository Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A. Abstract Yerkes Observatory, located in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, is a facility of the University of Chicago's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Known as the home of the last of the great refracting telescopes, the observatory housed the university's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics until the 1960s, and was the site of some of the most significant research in modern astronomy and astrophysics. This collection contains records of the Office of the Director of Yerkes Observatory, documenting the administrative history of the observatory from before its founding through the mid-1940s. Information on Use Access Open for research. No restrictions. Citation When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: University of Chicago. Yerkes Observatory. Office of the Director. Records, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library Historical Note Yerkes Observatory, located in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, is a facility of the University of Chicago's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics. The observatory opened in 1897 as the joint creation of three founders: William Rainey Harper, the first president of the University of Chicago; Professor George E. Hale, the observatory’s first director; and Charles T. Yerkes, a wealthy Chicago businessman who provided funds for the erection of the observatory building. On the shores of Lake Geneva, this observatory was designed by Henry Ives Cobb, with landscape architecture by John Olmsted. 3 Yerkes became known in the astronomical community as the home of the last of the great refracting telescopes, a 40-inch instrument first exhibited at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. The observatory housed the university's Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics until the 1960s, and was the site of some of the most significant research in modern astronomy and astrophysics. In 1932, the University of Chicago struck an agreement with the University of Texas to construct an observatory endowed by the Texas banker William Johnson McDonald (1844– 1926). Texas at that time had neither the funds nor the faculty for its operation. Under the agreement, the observatory was to be constructed and operated under the direction of Otto Struve, with the understanding that eventually University of Texas would assume complete responsibility for McDonald Observatory. As such, Dr. Struve became the first director of McDonald Observatory. The agreement between University of Chicago and the University of Texas was modified in 1959 as Texas’ program in astronomy broadened, and in 1962-1963 the entire operation of McDonald Observatory was placed under the Department of Astronomy at The University of Texas. Scope Note This collection contains records of the Office of the Director of Yerkes Observatory, documenting the administrative history of the observatory and the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics from 1891-1946; the collection also contains editorial and administrative records of Astrophysical Journal. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence of the director from 1891-1946, during which time the position was held by George E. Hale, Edwin B. Frost, and Otto Struve. Typical correspondents included faculty, staff and students at Yerkes Observatory; university administrators; and scientists and organizations outside the university. Series I contains correspondence from 1891-1903. The correspondence is arranged chronologically in increments of several months, then alphabetically by correspondent or subject. Series II contains records from 1903-1946. This series consists primarily of correspondence, but also includes material such as financial records, publications and reports. This series is arranged chronologically by year, then alphabetically by correspondent or subject. However, correspondence about routine administrative matters is often filed in subheadings under "University of Chicago" at the end of each year's records. In Series I and Series II, inventories for the years 1891-1931 contain some lists of individuals or subjects found in each folder; these entries represent "notables," and not a complete list of the contents of each folder. The inventory of Series II includes enhanced descriptive detail for records from the years 1932-1946, when Otto Struve served as Director. 4 Series III, McDonald Observatory, contains Otto Struve’s correspondence dealing with the planning, construction, opening and early operation of McDonald Observatory in Texas. This collection is organized alphabetically by correspondent or subject, such as “Hale, George E.”, or “Contracts.” The majority of this collection consists of correspondence, but notes, blueprints, contracts, drafts, minutes and newspaper clippings can also be found here. Smaller files of material related to McDonald Observatory are found in Series II. Related Resources The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/select.html http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/phyast.html Subject Headings • Frost, Edwin Brant, 1866-1935 • Hale, George Ellery, 1868-1938 • Struve, Otto, 1897-1963 • University of Chicago. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics • University of Chicago. Yerkes Observatory • Astrophysical Journal • Astronomical observatories • Astronomy • Astrophysics • Telescopes • Lake Geneva, Wisconsin • Williams Bay, Wisconsin • Astronomers • Astrophysicists INVENTORY Series I: 1891-1903 Box 1 Folder 1-5 A-Z, January 1, 1891-October 15, 1891 Box 1 Folder 6-8 A-L, September 26, 1891-April 18, 1892 Box 2 Folder 1-3 M-Z, September 26, 1891-April 18, 1892 Box 2 Folder 4-9 5 A-Z, April 18, 1892-October 29, 1892 Box 3 Folder 1-8 A-Z, October 29, 1892-undated, 1892 Box 3 Folder 9 A-B, September 10, 1892 Box 4 Folder 1-8 C-Z, September 10, 1892 Box 4 Folder 9 A-B, September 10, 1893-September 15, 1894 Box 5 Folder 1-9 C-Y, September 10, 1893-September 15, 1894 Box 5 Folder 10 A-B, September 15, 1894-January 10, 1895 Box 6 Folder 1-7 C-Z, September 15, 1894-January 10, 1895 Box 6 Folder 8-12 A-P, January 10, 1895-May 1, 1895 Box 7 Folder 1-2 R-Z, January 10, 1895-May 1, 1895 Box 7 Folder 3-8 A-Z, May 1, 1895-November 16, 1895 Box 8 Folder 1-6 A-Z, November 16, 1895-April 1, 1896 Box 8 Folder 7-9 A-K, April 1, 1896-August 1, 1896 Box 9 Folder 1-3 L-Z, April 1, 1896-August 1, 1896 Box 9 Folder 1-9 A-S, August 1, 1896-December 1, 1896 Box 10 Folder 1 T-Z, August 1, 1896-December 1, 1896 6 Box 10 Folder 2-7 A-Z, December 1, 1896-March 20, 1897 Box 10 Folder 8-9 A-D, March 20, 1897-July 14, 1897 Box 11 Folder 1-5 E-Z, March 20, 1897-July 14, 1897 Box 11 Folder 6-9 A-M, July 14, 1897-September 20, 1897 Box 12 Folder 1-3 N-Z, July 14, 1897-September 20, 1897 Box 12 Folder 4-9 A-Z, September 20, 1897-November 10, 1897 Box 13 Folder 1-6 A-Z, November 10, 1897-March 3, 1898 Box 13 Folder 7-10 A-L, March 3, 1898-May 25, 1898 Box 14 Folder 1-3 M-Z, March 3, 1898-May 25, 1898 Box 14 Folder 4-9 A-Z, May 25, 1898-undated, 1898 Box 15 Folder 1-5 A-Z, September 20, 1898-April 1, 1899 Box 15 Folder 6-10 A-Z, January 1, 1899-May 22, 1899 Box 16 Folder 1-7 A-Z, May 22, 1899-October 31, 1899 Box 16 Folder 8-9 A-F, November 1, 1899-March 31, 1900 Box 17 Folder 1-5 G-Z, November 1, 1899-March 31, 1900 Box 17 7 Folder 6-7 A-D, April 1, 1900-July 6, 1900 Box 17 Folder 8 Eclipse, 1900 Box 17 Folder 9 E-J, April 1-, 1900-July 6, 1900 Box 18 Folder 1-3 K-Z, April 1, 1900-July 6, 1900 Box 18 Folder 4-8 A-Z, July 7, 1900-November 17, 1900 Box 19 Folder 1-6 A-Z, November 18, 1900-March 7, 1901 Box 19 Folder 7-9 A-J, March 8, 1901-June 11, 1901 Box 20 Folder 1-3 K-Z, March 8, 1901-June 11, 1901 Box 20 Folder 4-10 A-Z, June 11, 1901-October 18, 1901 Box 21 Folder 1-6 A-Z, October 18, 1901-February 1, 1902 Box 21 Folder 7-11 A-Z, February 1, 1902-April 9, 1902 Box 22 Folder 1-4 A-Z, April 9, 1902-June 20, 1902 Box 22 Folder 5-10 A-Z, June 20, 1902-October 16, 1902 Box 23 Folder 1-4 A-Z, October 16, 1902-January 1, 1903 Series II: 1903-1946 Box 23 Folder 5 George Ellery Hale, 1903 8 Box 23 Folder 6 A-B, 1903 Box 23 Folder 7 Boss, 1903 Box 24 Folder 1 B, 1903 Box 24 Folder 2 A-Auditor, 1903 Box 24 Folder 3 B, 1903 • Bausch and Lomb • Brashear, J. • Burke and James Box 24 Folder 4 B-C, 1904 • Binner and Wells • Brashear • Computer Box 24 Folder 5 C, 1903 Box 25 Folder 1 C, 1903 Box 25 Folder 2 Carnegie Institute, 1903 Box 25 Folder 3-5 D-F, 1903 Box 25 Folder 6 Gaertner, 1903 Box 26 Folder 1 Hale, G.E., 1903 Box 26 Folder 2-3 H, 1903 Box 26 9 Folder 4 H-I, 1903 • Harris • Heckman Box 26 Folder 5 J-K, 1903 Box 26 Folder 6 L, 1903 • Link Belt Box 27 Folder 1 M, 1903 Box 27 Folder 2 N-O, 1903 • Orr & Lockett Box 27 Folder 3 P, 1903 • Pickering, E.C.