February 6, 2018
UW astronomer Woody Sullivan assists in renovation of Olympia’s Territorial Sundial
After six months of repair and restoration — assisted by UW astronomer and sundial expert Woody Sullivan — Olympia’s iconic Territorial Sundial is back in place.
Woody Sullivan, UW professor emeritus of astronomy, consults with Larry Tate, principal at Seattle’s Fabrication Specialties Ltd., right, on the necessary angle and placement of a new gnomon to ensure the time-keeping accuracy of Olympia’s Territorial Sundial.Wash. State Enterprise Services
The sundial, about 6 feet across and located between the Legislative Building and the Joel Pritchard Library on the Capitol Campus, was designed by artist John W. Elliot. It has eight panels depicting scenes from Washington’s territorial history, from Capt. Vancouver’s exploration of Puget Sound to the arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Installed in January 1959, the sundial was removed in July 2017 for its first-ever overhaul. Both its copper face and its gnomon — the part that casts a shadow — were worn and needed repair.
Sullivan, an emeritus member of the UW Astronomy Department faculty — who has a longstanding interest in sundials — consulted on the work.
“The original thin copper material on the face is subject to slight wrinkling and movement over time, which while not very visible would throw off the sundial’s accuracy,” said Sullivan. “A thicker, completely level, and more durable surface is needed — not to mention a sturdier gnomon — to preserve its time-keeping abilities into the future.”
The recasting was done by Seattle art contractor Fabrication Services, Ltd., which used the original mold to recast the dial’s artwork in bronze, and also designed a sturdier gnomon. Due to the sundial’s size, the recasting was done in eight sections, using a traditional sand-casting process. A protective coating was added to seal and stabilize the surface.
The long-needed repairs were paid for with operating dollars designated in the Public and Historic Facilities Fund for care of campus memorials and artwork.
The sundial was re-dedicated in a January 30 ceremony featuring speakers from the Governor’s Office, the State Arts Commission and the state department of Enterprise Services, which oversaw its renovation, as well as Sullivan.
“The true miracle of the day,” Sullivan said later, “was that it was sunny.”
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Adapted from a release by Washington State Enterprise Services. For more on Woody Sullivan and his work, contact him at woody@astro.washington.edu.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Astronomy • Woody Sullivan
