Vassar College Observatory | |
 The Observatory in 2014 with its dome sealed | |
  | |
| Location | Vassar College campus, Town of Poughkeepsie, NY |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°41′18″N 73°53′36″W / 41.688285°N 73.893310°W |
| Built | 1865 |
| NRHP reference No. | 91002051 |
| NYSRHP No. | 02714.000020 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1991[1] |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1991[2] |
| Designated NYSRHP | July 17, 1991 |
The Vassar College Observatory is an astronomical observatory of the private Vassar College, located near the eastern edge of the Poughkeepsie, New York college's campus. Finished in 1865, it was the first building on the college's campus, older even than the Main Building, with which it shares the status of National Historic Landmark. The observatory's significance is due to its association with Maria Mitchell, the first widely known female astronomer in the United States.[3]
As the college has built a new observatory on a hill near the edge of campus, the building is no longer used for astronomy. In 2008 it underwent a large restoration and renovation and now houses the offices of the education department and classrooms.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Vassar College Observatory". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 18, 2007.
- ^ "Maria Mitchell Observatory". Retrieved January 1, 2015.