Among the stories of Ohio observatories lost to us is the sad tale of the Warner and Swasey Observatory, East Cleveland. The observatory was one of Ohio’s greatest in its heyday but stands in ruins today. The telescopes escaped destruction and remain in service elsewhere but the observatory building sits abandoned, its large copper-skinned domes stripped by metal scroungers. We will add images and documentation here as we acquire them.
“NEW CASE OBSERVATORY DEDICATED. CLEVELAND, OHIO: An exterior view of the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Taylor and Brunswick Roads in East Cleveland, December 29. A portion of the old building is pictured at the left, while at the right may be seen the central part of the new building. The large dome houses the observatory’s powerful new telescope, largest of its kind in operation. The telescope primarily is intended for photographic observation, although it is also equipped for making visual studies of the heavens.” — Wide World Photos, Cleveland Bureau, 12/31/1941
Observatories of Ohio 