With SCAN history at the Historic Landmarks Commission and in mind, one of the minor mysteries in SCAN has been the observatory at the corner of Waldo and High.
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| via Shineonsalem |
In her history notes at Shineonsalem Virginia Green writes:
This observatory is in the rear of the former Hatfield home on Waldo Street. The Senator remembers it had been abandoned when his family moved into this house in the 1930s. Some say it was the hobby of a former tenant who had a bicycle shop downtown.
The observatory has been somewhat absorbed into the Hatfield story, but of course it has its own story independent of Hatfield. The time line doesn't line up exactly, also. But it is in outline right! And the story is even more interesting than any rumor or legend.
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| June 8th, 1926 |
Around 1929 Boliva "Buck" L. Bradley came to Salem and worked in insurance. He had two or three years earlier married the daughter of bike dealer Arthur H. Moore.
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| January 21st, 1932 |
Astronomy was a serious interest, and with real mechanical skills he built a large telescope.
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| December 16th, 1934 |
He hosted viewing parties at his home on Waldo and High.
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| July 13th, 1935 |
He continued to build bigger telescopes.
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| April 20th, 1938 |
By the end of the decade he had an observatory, which is likely the one we still see today.
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| July 25th, 1939 |
At some point in or before 1950 he had transitioned out of insurance and joined his father-in-law's bike shop firm, and that year he took it over. He may also have been living above the shop in the Moore building.
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| July 27th, 1950 |
He died in 1969.
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| August 11th, 1969 |
Helen continued with an active life and occasionally the paper featured her.
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| October 18th, 1978 |
There might be more to say another time! It is nice to ground the observatory now in some fact and rescue it from neighborhood legend.
For more on Arthur H. Moore, his apartment block, and his bike shop:
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