The Allegheny Observatory is known for its rich history. Many well-known astronomers made discoveries, developed theories, and contributed much more to the field of astronomy. Visitors of the observatory admire the telescopes and artifacts located around the old building but seem to be unaware that the owners of these telescopes have been laid to rest in crypts a few floors below their feet.
One of the novels that our class was required to read was titled, Another Kind of Monday. The book was about two classmates who traveled around Pittsburgh on a quest for a fortune by using clues hidden in different locations. One of the locations was the Allegheny Observatory where the crypts of Brashear and Keeler make an appearance. An excerpt from the book describes the crypts as “…a small bare room with a plaque on the wall. Nothing else” (Coles).
Before visiting the observatory, the only imagined space I had for this room was based off the novel. It seemed like this room was unimportant, purposely left off tours due to disinterest or lack of knowledge about the room and its permanent tenants. I seemed to forget about this room altogether until someone asked if we could view it.
On a rigorous trek, visitors can maneuver down steep stairs passing through various corridors until they reach a tiny space that almost seems like there is nothing to it. Heading into a tiny room, there are three plaques located on the wall; listing the names of James Keeler, John Brashear and their respective family members placed there, such as Keeler's wife and son, Cora Matthews Keeler and Henry Bowman Keeler, along with John Brashear's wife Phoebe.
The room was definitely cozy but it was not as simple as the novel that we read described it. It certainly was not as magnificent as the popular telescopes and artwork that was located throughout the observatory. Instead, it had a sincere tone to it. The room had simple architecture which allowed me to focus on the people buried there instead of being distracted by other things. I was able to reflect and wonder who these people were and why they were placed there. Using the basic knowledge about Keeler and Brashear from the tour, it prompted me to research more in depth about them. One of the plaques had an excerpt from a poem titled "The Old Astronomer to his Pupil" by Sarah Williams which read, "We have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night" that gave an almost romantic tone to the space (Williams).
Many may wonder why crypts are placed inside an observatory but the subject of astronomy has an aura of mystery to it which makes this location seem fitting. University of Pittsburgh professor Arthur Kosowsky points out in his essay on the universe, “How did the universe begin…How will the universe end? These are all profound questions, ambitious in scope, and potentially answerable using future measurements of the universe” (Kosowsky).
Who are James Keeler and John Brashear?
James Keeler and John Brashear were directors of the observatory in the early 1900s. Keeler was well known for discovering the gaps in Saturn’s rings. Brashear was known for constructing many astronomical objects especially telescopes, including the Keeler and Thaw telescopes currently located in the observatory. Although their feats seemed underwhelming when compared to other astronomists of the time, many argue that Keeler had the potential to do great things if he had more time. Charles McLandress, a physicist and great-grandson of James Keeler said, “He probably could have done a lot more if he lived to a ripe age” (Smydo).
Both were regarded as astronomers although Keeler was known for his discoveries and contributions to astronomy and Brashear was famous for mainly engineering astronomical equipment such as the telescopes located in the observatory. Keeler’s time at the Allegheny Observatory was short but his accomplishments lived on. Using the telescopes at the observatory, he managed to discover that Saturn’s rings were not solid, but made up of many particles. His discovery led to the gap in Saturn’s rings being named after him as well as many other places, such as a crater on the Moon and even a peak on Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley) in Alaska (James Keeler Biography).
When people speak about Keeler's accomplishments, they also mention John Brashear for Keeler would not have been able to search the skies without Brashear's creation of the Thaw and Fitz-Clark telescopes. His method for coating glass such as telescope lenses was later dubbed the “Brashear process” as well. An avid lover of astronomy throughout his life, Brashear has notably been overshadowed by his peers. An excerpt from his biography suitably named A Man Who Loved The Stars states,
“Because of his own modest personality, and also because his tremendous achievements were largely in highly technical fields, Brashear’s fame has often been overshadowed by the more spectacular careers of his friends and associates…Yet these men often looked to Brashear for help, especially in their charitable ventures, and they tried to outdo each other in providing financial assistance for Brashear’s scientific pursuits” (Brashear Assoc.).
Why are they buried in the observatory?
There is no definite explanation as to why these men requested to be buried at the observatory but there are many guesses. The most popular explanation is that some desire to be buried at a place that means something to them—rather than a cemetery that has no specific purpose. Brashear and Keeler were joined by their wives when they passed as well as Keeler’s son who was placed in the crypt as well.
Lovers Reunited
Cora Matthews Keeler, the husband of James Keeler, was buried at a nursing home in Little Rock, Arkansas where she passed away in 1944. Her husband who was interred in the observatory crypt since 1906 was joined by his son Henry in 1918. One niche remained empty and many observatory workers wondered why Mrs. Keeler had never been placed there with her husband; sixty-three years later, it only made sense to the descendants of the Keelers to reunite them at the observatory. After being inspired by old family letters, Charles McLandress decided to reunite his great-grandparents. Her remains were placed in the crypt in 2007 after a long period of separation from her son and husband.
Secrets Await You
The example of the Allegheny Observatory and its crypts may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Understandably, not many people go searching for crypts at historical sites they come across. Instead, use the observatory as an example that there may be more to places than meets the eye. Look for places that interest you and find the secrets that are located deep below. “Secret Pittsburgh” truly lives up to its name. It allows us to see what is in front of us and look even further.
Works Cited
Brashear, John A., Edited by W. Lucian Scaife. John A. Brashear, Autobiography of A Man Who Loved the Stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1925. Discoverer of Composition of Saturn's Rings: Astronomer James E. Keeler of Allegheny Observatory, Pittsburgh, johnbrashear.tripod.com/bio/KeelerJ.htm.
Coles, William E. Another Kind of Monday. Avon Tempest, 1999.
Kosowsky, Arthur. “Things We Know About The Universe.” University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA. Lecture.
Smydo, Joe. “Wife Finally Laid to Rest near Husband.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 15 Apr. 2007, www.old.post-gazette.com/pg/07105/778232-85.stm.
The Story of John Alfred Brashear: the Man Who Loved the Stars. Brashear Association, 1977.
Williams, Sarah. “‘The Old Astronomer to His Pupil.’” Arecibo Observatory, www.naic.edu/~gibson/poems/swilliams1.html.