Thanks to the effort of Herman A. Fischer,Sr. the first observatory at Wheaton College was acquired for roughly $2,000 from L. F. Culver in October of1890. With the 800 pound telescope, the 16-foot dome was carried |
from Harvey, Illinois, by two teams of horses. Officially the |
Alumni Observatory, due to financial support from alums, it was commonly known as the "Lemon," thanks to |
its peculiar shape and bright color. The Lemon was eventually replaced in1972 and it was sold to Honey Rock for $525. The current |
observatory and cause for the removal of the Lemon was built that same year on |
the roof of Armerding Hall, where it housed a new 12-inch telescope and |
a custom 8-inch Newtonian reflector telescope, which was given to |
the college by H.S. Miller of Naperville. The Meyer Science Center now features a state-of-the-art observatory on its roof. |
