Early Real Photo Post Card (RPPC) view shows the Diablo Hills and Mt. Hamilton with the Lick Observatory dome on the hill in the distance.
The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory, owned and operated by the University of California. It is situated on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, USA. The observatory is managed from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where its scientific staff moved in the mid-1960s.
Lick Observatory was the world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory. The observatory was constructed between 1876 and 1887, from a bequest from James Lick. In 1887 Lick's body was buried under the future site of the telescope, with a brass tablet bearing the inscription, "Here lies the body of James Lick".
Before construction could begin, a road to the site had to be built. All of the construction materials had to be brought to the site by horse and mule-drawn wagons, which could not negotiate a steep grade. To keep the grade below 6.5%, the road had to take a very winding and sinuous path, which the modern-day road (SR 130) still follows. Tradition maintains that this road has exactly 365 turns.
Photograph measures 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches and is in excellent condition with no bends, tears, or creases and is very sharp and has strong tones with great contrast and clarity. Back is clean with no writing or postmarks and a VELOX (4 diamonds) stamp box.
Please email with any questions and please "VIEW SELLERS OTHER ITEMS". Thanks.