Discovering the Observatory
Submitted by Tim Elek | May 05, 2005
	During my second year at the Cleveland Institute of Art(CIA) I had the priveledge of a 8a.m. Art History course. One can imagine the stimulus for getting out of bed on time to attend this course. (CIA is well known for "stimulating academic courses") so you can imagine my diligence in arising at the appropriate time to attend this course every Monday and Wednesday morning. As a result I often found myself cutting it close to arriving late to class. Logically as a solution I endeavored to find a quicker route to school in the mornings. Normally I would take Monticello West all the way to Mayfield Rd. But on one particular Fall morning I decided to drive north on Taylor Rd. and head West once I struck Euclid to see if the route would prove any faster. Of course it did not, but on my way down Taylor I could not help but notice the Observatory perched out on the hillside. I was captivated immediately, this amazing building sitting here on a hillside, like a secret gem stashed away in a closet somewhere. I made up my mind at that moment to return and check out the exterior as soon as possible. It would be another year to two years before the return trip. Following acceptance in CIA's digital arts program I met and began working with Matt Neff and Tony Solary. We were developing concepts for an interactive adventure game and were trying to come up with an architectural style which would be appropriate for our game. Immediately I thought of the amazing old building I had meant to study for the past couple years and we hopped in a vehicle and headed for Taylor Rd. Upon arriving all three of us were infected by the bug of the Observatory. I call it the bug, because if you drive to the facility, park your car and start walking around, you too will become infected. Needless to say we ditched the video game, the great concepts for which Matt still has in a file folder somewhere, and began researching the facility in earnest and decided to devote much of our efforts that semester to producing a documentary style DVD to tell the rest of the city of Cleveland about this marvelous structure. The DVD was originally showcased at the One Week event, held during University Circle's Winter Fest. The DVD was displayed on the dome of the planetarium at the Natural History Museum, along with the Cleveland Museum of Art, and another location on the Case campus. Very little happened following this public display and the Observatory continued to wait for several more years until Plain Dealer reporter Mike O'Malley happened upon our story via another reporter we had spoken with years earlier.
Drive-By
Submitted by David Katz | May 02, 2005
	About two weeks before the P.D. article, I was driving up Taylor from Euclid Avenue for the first time. From the corner of my eye I saw the observatory and probably did a double-take (it takes you by suprise if you don't know it's there). Almost instinctively, I turned the car around and drove up to it. Got out, walked around, and was amazed at this awesome, dilapidated, scary, beautiful, building. It was sad, frightening and exhilarating, simultaneously. Probably what it felt like to find the Titanic. I'm the kind of person who would have entered at my own risk if I'd have found an opening; but there were none. Anyway, I recommend anyone to stop by to witness it. I believe most people seeing it will get behind the effort to save the observatory.
Retired
Submitted by Kevin Smith | Apr 09, 2005
	I am also one of 'those students' who used the 9.5" refractor as a youngster. I was in the auditorium listening to a lecture when one of the students came running in yelling 'The Russians have launched a satellite!!" That was of course Sputnick.
The 50's at the observatory
Submitted by Dan & Kevin | Apr 08, 2005
	Kevin and I grew up in East Cleveland during the 50's. The observatory kept us off the streets and gave us both a love for astronomy. A friend of my mother's had a relative (Dr. Makusky sp?) at the observatory. He was an astronomer there. The neighbor gave me a letter of introduction. Dr. Makusky gave two young boys a personal tour of the observatory. The observatory played an important role in my life during those early years. Later, as teenagers, Kevin and I visited the Chardon site and stayed overnight to photograph a meteor shower. The astronomers there were very friendly to two star struck teenagers. We need to preserve this piece of Cleveland's history. Dan
Submit Your Stories
Submitted by Matt Neff | Apr 07, 2005
	Do you have any interesting stories about the Warner and Swasey Observatory? We'd love to hear them! You can submit WSO-related stories on this site, which we'll post right here for everyone to enjoy. Go ahead and submit a story - click the "Submit Your Own Story" link on this page! Check back soon for some WSO stories!