Smithsonian Observatories
The postcards in this gallery are from observatories associated with the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory established in 1890 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the Smithsonian’s research centers. Together with the Harvard College Observatory, it forms the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
The Mt. Wilson Observatory opened in the early 1900s, and many researchers, including those from the Smithsonian, visited the observatory to conduct research. The observatory is funded by the Carnegie Institution for Science. The postcards from Mt. Wilson belonged to Charles Greeley Abbot. He was the fifth Secretary of the Smithsonian and was an astrophysicist and solar researcher.
Color postcard of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory building in Massachusetts. A tree flanks each side of the building, and three cars are parked out front: a black car, a white car, and a red car. c. 1960s, Unknown creator, Courtesy of a private collector, No copy available at the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Grayscale, real photo postcard of the Sun Tower from the Mt. Wilson Observatory in California. The view is from the ground up, and a tall tree is to the left of the tower. The sun is in the center of the sky in the postcard. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused. c. 1930s, Angeleno Photo Service, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 27, Folder: Charles Greeley Abbot: Sun Tower at Mt. Wilson Observatory, Mt. Wilson, Calif. (2), Negative Numbers SIA2013-07681 (front) and SIA2013-07682 (back).
Grayscale, real photo postcard of a hotel at Mt. Wilson, California. A car is parked on the side of the hotel. The tree in front of the hotel on the left side of the postcard has had its lower branches cut off. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused. c. 1930s, Los Angeles Photo Post Card Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 27, Folder: Charles Greeley Abbot: Hotel at Mt. Wilson, Calif. (1), Negative Numbers SIA2013-07677 (front) and SIA2013-07678 (back).
Grayscale, real photo postcard of snow at the Mt. Wilson Hotel in California. The hotel is almost unrecognizable under a thick blanket of snow. A man is walking in front of the hotel. The sun tower of the Mt. Wilson Observatory is in the right background. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused. c. 1930s, Los Angeles Photo Post Card Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 27, Folder: Charles Greeley Abbot: Snow at Mt. Wilson Hotel (1), Negative Numbers SIA2013-07679 (front) and SIA2013-07680 (back).
Color postcard of Mt. San Antonio, also called "Old Baldy," as seen from Mount Wilson, California. Mt. San Antonio is capped with snow. Two large trees are in the foreground of the postcard. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused. 1931, Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 27, Folder: Charles Greeley Abbot: Mt. San Antonio, "Old Baldy""From Mt. Wilson, California, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07683 (front) and SIA2013-07684 (back).
Color postcard of the dome of the 100-inch Hooker Reflector telescope at the Mt. Wilson Observatory in California. The white dome is the central focus of the postcard. The surrounding trees are full, and a man is standing on the edge of the dome structure in the middle. The front of the postcard has a white border. The postcard is unused, but it has a printed note about the observatory: "The Carnegie Astronomical Observatory of Washington, D.C. is located on the summit of Mount Wilson, in the Sierra Madre Mountains, 6,000 feet above sea level. Day and Night eight huge telescopes are busy probing the mysteries of the universe. The astronomical museum is open to the public daily." 1938, Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 27, Folder: Charles Greeley Abbot: Dome of the 100 Inch Hooker Reflector, Mount Wilson Observatory, California, Negative Numbers SIA2013-07685 (front) and SIA2013-07686 (back).