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HistoryGoldendale Observatory is the fruition of the dream of four amateur astronomers, M. W. McConnell, O. W. VanderVeldon, John Marshall and Don Connor. These four citizens of Vancouver, Washington began constructing a 24-inch, Cassegrain reflecting telescope for Vancouver's Clark college. They ultimately donated the telescope to the town of Goldendale, which constructed observatory buildings on a hilltop north of Goldendale. Funding for construction was provided by donations, a federal grant and a bank loan. The observatory was dedicated as a public education center in 1973. The Goldendale Observatory Corporation, a non-profit, volunteer organization, operated the facility through 1980. Washington State Parks acquired the observatory in 1980.
Interpretive opportunitiesThe Goldendale Observatory is a major center for viewing astronomical events. It was the designated official headquarters of the National Astronomical League for the total solar eclipse of Feb. 26, 1979. The interpretive center offers afternoon and evening programs about telescopes and star-gazing.
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