National Register of Historic Places

Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House

Geneva, Ontario County, New York
Listed
April 10, 2008
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
08000275

About this property

Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House is a historic home and observatory located at Geneva in Ontario County, New York. Both structures were built in 1888. The observatory is a small frame building consisting of a two-story tower flanked by two small wings. The tower contains a 10-inch refracting telescope by Warner & Swasey of Cleveland, Ohio. The east wing contains an intact meridian transit telescope and sidereal pendulum clock. The house is a two-story brick dwelling with a broad range of intact, late Victorian eclectic features. Brooks was a Professor of Astronomy at Hobart College, which owned the observatory until the late 20th century. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Location

618-620 Castle St.
Geneva, Ontario County, New York
42.87276, -76.99059

Categories

SCIENCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House

This page lists Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

First Baptist Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Genesee Park Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
US Post Office-Geneva
Industrial
0.5 mi
Geneva Armory
Industrial
0.5 mi
Farmers and Merchants Bank
Industrial
0.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Seneca Lake Fortified Iroquois Village
1400Pre-Columbian
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House listed on the National Register?

Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House?

Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House?

The period of significance for Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1888.

Can I research the history near Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Ontario County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Ontario County.

Explore OntarioCounty ›

More historic places in New York

Browse all historic places in New York.

View New Yorkhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New York history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Yorkhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Smith Observatory and Dr. William R. Brooks House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report