Completed in 1854, this observatory prompts us to consider the extent to which the concept of “time” is a modern invention. Any visitor would immediately recognize that, despite its name, the “Detroit” observatory is actually located 40 miles from the city of Detroit on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. One reason for this location is that the meridian-circular telescope installed in the observatory‘s characteristic dome, the third largest in the world at the time of its installation, was capable of accurately telling time by tracking the movement of the stars, which was critical to the development of Detroit as a burgeoning industrial and transportation hub, especially for its railroad operations. This is precisely why Detroiters’ contributions of over $22,000, spearheaded by Henry N. Walker’s (1811–1886) efforts, would become the initial and primary fund of this vital astronomical institution, which also earned its name, the “Detroit Observatory.”

We’ve become accustomed to synchronizing our watches to a standard time, scheduling a videoconference across time zones, or calculating time zone differences when boarding a train or an airplane. However, this notion of a coherent, consistent, and coordinated time, along with a specific, determined “moment” within any of these time zones, is not innate, but rather a recent invention. It was not until 1884—four decades after the establishment of the Detroit Observatory—that the Greenwich meridian was adopted as the prime zero-degree meridian by representatives of the major Western nations. Railroads, however, had been expanding to the corners of the world for more than half a century before that, and the telegraph network had also connected Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and even Oceania with a speed of transmission that, while not instantaneous, was faster than anything ever imagined. But the expansion of rail and telegraph networks did not immediately unify the Time. Until the late 19th century, different cities, and even different railroad stations and ports, kept their own clocks. Noon was not yet the same time in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia on the East Coast, let alone the faraway cities like Chicago and Detroit. Thus, before a universally standardized time was accepted, an institution like the Detroit Observatory, capable of accurately observing and disseminating an accurate time, was highly critical, almost a prerequisite, for the emergence and orchestration of metropolitan and industrial areas like Detroit—a fact we should keep in mind as we visit the Observatory.

The observatory is also significant in Michigan’s educational and scientific history. The building is a testament to U-M’s commitment as a public educational institution to bring advanced sciences such as astronomy to the developing Midwest. The fact that it was funded by the local community, especially the Detroiters, demonstrated their recognition of the vital role of higher education in the economic development of this area. The building has hosted some of the country’s earliest astronomical achievements, publications, and nurtured some of its leading astronomers; the telescope it houses, which is still in use today, proved to be a living relic. Though no longer serving as the university's main observatory, the quaint Italianate structure that now functions as a branch of the university’s historical library has been restored, expanded, and outfitted with a glass wing. It houses archival storage, offers astronomical exhibits, and is regularly open for public educational events and programs.