Sundials of North America

This is a complete listing of sundials in the North American Sundial Society Registry. Click on any dial thumbnail picture or city name to display the full dial listing and images. To see sundials from a particular state or province, you may click on the list at right to see all registered sundials in that state, province or country (at bottom) displayed in city order.

You may also type into the NASS search field at upper right any search word such as "equatorial" to get a list of all articles mentioning equatorial dials and a list of all equatorial sundials in the registry. (Try other dial types: "vertical", "horizontal", etc).

 
 
Omaha Nebraska USA Horizontal Dial Dial 654
A cast bronze horizontal dial with Roman hour numerals and fifteen-minute marks on a pedestal in a stone courtyard. Dial face includes a depiction of an hour glass with wings and a motto, GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME THE BEST IS YET TO BE. Dial sits on a three foot high fluted circular cast pedestal.
 
 
Omaha Nebraska USA Equatorial Dial Dial 653
A five foot granite equatorial dial on a granite and stone pedestal with a 5 inch diameter stainless steel gnomon extending through the dial face. Arabic hour numerals for 4 AM to 9 PM are shown on the north face and for 6 AM to 7 PM on the south face. Dial is within the Henry Doorley Zoo which may require admission to see the dial, which is a memorial to Marcia Bekins Shepard. Dial sits on a granite disk atop a mortared stone pedestal.
 
 
Soap Lake Washington USA Sculpture/Artwork Dial 652
A monumental, 1-1/3 life-size bronze, steel and basalt rock sundial sculpture of a human figure with raised arm serving as a gnomon. The sculpture, "Calling the Healing Waters," depicts a young Native American couple as Father Sky and Mother Earth, sacred essence of rain and minerals connecting and bringing healing. Reflecting ethnic and historical themes, the winged warrior protects and comforts the maiden holding a catch basin for the healing waters. The sculpture was commissioned to honor the healing properties of the waters of Soap Lake.
 
 
Westfield Wisconsin USA Armillary Sphere Dial 651
A 42 inch diameter stainless steel armillary dial with central brass sphere and topped by a 100 mm cobalt blue crystal ball. The armillary includes equatorial, meridian, tropic (2), horizon and colure rings. Above the armillary is a weathervane featuring a landing bald eagle with Swarovski crystal eye. Hour markings are notched on the equatorial ring. The armillary rests on a 43 inch high tapered stainless steel pyramidal base. The overall height of the dial and weathervane is 10 feet. The dial sits on a 43 inch high, 8x8 inch tapered pyramidal stainless steel pedestal. Dial is on private property but is visible from Fourth Avenue. Owner asks that viewers wanting closer access contact him by phone.
 
 
Skippack Pennsylvania USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 650
A concrete and engraved brick analemmatic dial set in a garden of crushed rock.
 
 
Gastonia North Carolina USA Horizontal Dial Dial 649
A 56 inch horizontal dial of stone masonry with wrought iron gnomon. Dial center filled with crushed rock with Roman numerals on perimeter stones. Dial is longitude corrected to EST and the EOT correction is shown on an adjacent landscape stone. Dial is on private property but can be seen from the public street. For closer viewing, contact owner.
 
 
Vancouver British Columbia Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 648
A large concrete and pebble horizontal dial with a 30 foot high gnomon. Hour lines are wood dividers in concrete with Roman numeral hour markers. Dial center and gnomon are situated in a lily pond. Dial is on private property but is fully visible from public street.
 
 
Lake Havasu City Arizona USA Horizontal Dial Dial 647
An 8 x 9 foot horizontal dial of powder coat painted aluminum panels 1/4-inch thick assembled onto a concrete pad. Perimeter shows Arabic hour numerals 9-2 with 5-minute dots placed in arcs below the numerals. EOT correction is provided through four graphics on the dial face under the gnomon and sliding "T Square" indicators showing the corrections on rulers. EOT values are corrected for longitude. Dial face plates are supported on poured concrete pad. Dial is on private property. Contact the owner to arrange viewing.
 
 
Holt Michigan USA Equatorial Dial Dial 646
A four foot high equatorial dial possibly of painted cast aluminum on a four foot high segmented granite pedestal. Hour ring displays Roman numerals for EST with five minute marks with longitude correction. Tiles of pedestal bear names and birth/death dates of those memorialized.
 
 
Vancouver British Columbia Canada Equatorial Dial Dial 645
A 30 inch diameter bronze equatorial dial. A slot in the rotatable gnomon project a line of sunlight onto the equatorial ring displaying Arabic hour numerals. Dial is corrected for longitude. Dial is mounted on a 53 inch high stone pedestal. This dial is also known as the George Cunningham Memorial Sundial as it was sponsored by the Cunningham Drug Stores to commemorate the opening of their first store in 1911 at a nearby corner.
 
 
Washington DC USA Horizontal Dial Dial 644
A bronze horizontal dial about 18 inches diameter on a cast concrete pedestal. Perimeter of dial includes three-dimensional cast replicas of roses and butterflies. Bronze gnomon includes replicas of butterfly, tightly-furled rose and leaf. Dial face has hour lines with Roman numerals and 15-minute marks and a sunburst at dial center. The dial rests on a cast concrete pedestal.
 
 
Pasadena California USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 643
A 14x8 foot analemmatic dial with an 8x2 foot gnomon-positioning calendar plinth. The dial is installed in the pebble and concrete patio of the Winnett Student Center. The hour markers and calendar line plinth are made of Granodiorite of Knowles, a muscovite-bearing biotite granodiorite rock quarried from Knowles Quarry at Raymond, California. A nearby wall plaque provides longitude and EOT correction. The dial is a gift from the Caltech Alumni Association as a sculpture, a public artwork and a scientific instrument. This dial is located on the private university campus but the public may walk on the campus grounds to view the dial.
 
 
Marshall North Carolina USA Armillary Sphere Dial 642
An armillary steel ring equatorial dial approximately 4 feet diameter. Hour ring has Roman numerals cut through the ring to show EST. Mounted on a concrete pedestal marked with city name and builder's mark. The pedestal is also marked with Marshall town map coordinates 35.79° N, 82.68° W, which are not the precise coordinates of the dial. Weathered finish is green enamel paint on steel. The concrete pedestal is marked with Marshall city name, builder's mark and approximate coordinates.
 
 
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA Horizontal Dial Dial 641
A 12 inch octagonal carved sandstone horizontal dial with Roman hour numerals from 4 AM to 8 PM. The gnomon is missing. Dial face includes carved figures of a snake and a thistle and is marked latitude 40° 35'. The 1763 date ascribed to the dial's origin is coincident with the relief of the siege of Fort Pitt during Pontiac's Rebellion in that year. The 42nd and 77th Regiments of the Highland Guard and the 60th Regiment of the Royal Americans defeated the Native forces (Delaware, Shawnee, Mingo and Huron Tribes) at the Battle of Bushy Run in August, 1763, successfully quelling the Indian uprising in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Highland Guard is artistically represented on the sundial by the thistle and the Royal Americans by the snake. Although the assignment of the 1763 date to the dial is not conclusive, the history of Fort Pitt, together with the design elements seen on the sundial and the location of its discovery, provides a plausible conclusion.
 
 
Hastings Minnesota USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 640
A 5x3 meter analemmatic dial of natural limestone rocks with red flagstone and white limestone for month markers. Arabic hour numerals and month names are sandblasted into the stones. This dial was designed and built as an Eagle Scout project with an original request from the school science teacher, Mr. Rapatz. Roger Bailey of NASS provided technical guidance.
 
 
Windsor Ontario Canada Vertical Dial Dial 639
Two vertical bronze-on-masonry dials on adjacent faces upper faces of a square, 25 foot high tower. Dial faces are aligned approximately SE and SW. A bronze armillary sphere is placed atop the tower. The tower and sundials were designed and built by the Windsor Polish community and dedicated in the Windsor centennial year in memory of M. Kopernik (Copernicus).
 
 
Sydney Nova Scotia Canada Armillary Sphere Dial 638
An armillary sphere constructed from a large, dual-loop aluminum radio direction finding antenna. Outer ring is 80 cm (31.5 inch) diameter mounted on a 1.3 m (51 inch) pipe pedestal. Hour ring is stainless steel and marked in ten minute intervals showing local apparent time. A nearby plaque provides Equation of Time conversion to standard time. A second small style projects a shadow at noon local apparent time on a second vertical scale to show the sun's declination.
 
 
Palm Beach Florida USA Horizontal Dial Dial 637
A bronze horizontal dial approximately 24 inches square on a painted masonry pedestal. Inner hour circle shows Arabic numerals for standard time and outer hour circle shows Roman numerals for local time. Dial face includes cardinal direction marks and coordinates. An EOT table is provided in an adjacent bronze plaque atop the pedestal. Dial is located on the entrance walkway to the Flagler Museum, formerly known as Whitehall, Henry Flagler's private home. Museum is open to the public but requires an entry fee.
 
 
Richmond Virginia USA Vertical Dial Dial 635
An 87 x 37 inch vertical stained glass sundial in a second story window on the south wall of a tower at Richmond Hill, a historic monastery in Richmond. The glass area of the dial is frosted with hour lines and numerals read from the inside. Richmond Hill is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday; visitors are welcome to view the sundial, which is located in a tower accessible from the main lobby entrance.
 
 
Las Vegas Nevada USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 634
An approximate 10 foot x 6 foot analemmatic dial on pavement sloping 3° to east. Hour lines and sunrise/sunset markers are brass inserts placed in pavement.
 
 
Great Falls Virginia USA Horizontal Dial Dial 633
A phosphor bronze horizontal dial whose face is 17.7 inches across four rounded cruciform arms. Designed, made and presented by Tony Moss to commemorate the establishment of the first English settlement at Jamestown on May 14, 1607. The most striking feature is the inclusion of reproductions of the King James Great Seal of the English Virginia Company. The "navette" (little boat) shape of the seal is also reflected in a similar shape for the dial itself. These "English" features are balanced by an American input in the form of the "Celebrate Virginia" logo and that of the local Analemma Society that co-funded the pedestal along with Fairfax County Park Authority. A unique rounded-cruciform shape encompasses all the above elements together with the NASS logo and appropriate inscriptions. The dial is calibrated in 3-minute intervals and quarter hours. Square classical pedestal in reconstituted limestone made by Haddonstone UK. Pedestal is placed in a paved and railed area around the dial. A remarkable steel "safe" is provided to protect the dial and pedestal from theft or damage.
 
 
Rock Island Illinois USA Horizontal Dial Dial 632
A horizontal dial approximately 30 inches diameter reportedly cast from an old brass (bronze, likely) cannon and weighing 175 pounds. Dial was weathered and damaged by vandals but restored in 1970 using black light to reveal the original engraved markings, which were re-engraved. Hours marked in Roman numerals with 2 minute marks. Noon gap mark aligns with North mark on base. The dial sits on a limestone base carved with crossed cannons and belt, date 1877.
 
 
Saline Michigan USA Vertical Dial Dial 631
A north-facing vertical dial of wood approximately 30 inches square with steel gnomon. Gnomon support includes "M M" representing 2000 millennium. Dial face includes script "RJ" for owner's initials as well as additional "M M" symbology. Hour markings show Eastern Standard Summer Time. Dial is displayed during summer months only, during which time it can be seen from the street. Dial is on private property but can seen from a public street.
 
 
Norwich Vermont USA Horizontal Dial Dial 630
A 12 inch square gray granite horizontal dial with bronze gnomon on a terracotta and stucco pedestal. Corrected for longitude to read EST. EOT corrections to nearest half-minute for the 1st and 15th of each month are engraved on edges of dial face. This is a private dial, not generally available for viewing. Dial sits atop a post of terracotta covered with stucco.
 
 
Ionia New York USA Vertical Dial Dial 629
A 16 x 6 foot wood and steel vertical dial on the south wall of the Louis S. Wolk Observatory at the Marion and Max Farash Center for Observational Astronomy. Dial declines 16.3° W of S. Dial displays EDT with longitude correction. Pedestrian and equine access is unrestricted but vehicular traffic is limited to members.
 
 
Yellow Springs Ohio USA Horizontal Dial Dial 628
A 14.5 inch octagonal bronze horizontal dial on a cast iron pedestal. Dial was originally made for the present owner's great grandfather in the early 1900's. Face has Roman numerals with hour and half-hour markers. Compass rose cast in face aligns to magnetic north and stars of Big Dipper are shown. Dial was made originally for location near Northampton, Pennsylvania in early 1900's and is marked "41° LATITUDE." At present location, dial is tipped 1.2° for latitude correction. Two time arcs are shown on the dial face: "LONG DAY" arc extends from 5 AM to 7 PM; "SHORT DAY" arc extends from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
 
 
Lynchburg Virginia USA Horizontal Dial Dial 627
A 48 inch diameter bronze horizontal dial on a stone pedestal. Polar gnomon includes a scroll and stylized peacock. Dial furniture includes an hour glass and eagle wings. The perimeter around the dial is inscribed, "TIME LIKE LIFE CANNOT BE RECALLED." The dial sits atop a cylindrical mortared stone pedestal.
 
 
St. Louis Missouri USA Horizontal Dial Dial 626
A unique horizontal dial 28 inches square and 1 inch thick of white Carrara marble with two cast bronze gnomons. Four time systems are shown on the dial. The shadow of the short vertical gnomon near the dial center indicates Ezanic hours based on a 24 equal-hour day with two 12-hour periods starting at sunset; Babylonian hours similarly based on two 12-hour periods starting at sunrise; and two Moslem prayer times, Zuhr and Asr. The polar gnomon shadow indicates hours based on two, 12 equal-hour periods starting at noon and midnight. The polar gnomon support consists of seven rings representing the celestial spheres of Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Dial furniture includes a Qibla showing the direction to Mecca, N 42.7° for this location. Dial markings are accentuated with inlaid gold leaf. This dial design is based on the Ottoman dial at Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, built about 1480, and on Ibn Al Shatir's dial in Damascus built 1371, the first sundial with a polar gnomon. Dial rests on three large carved marble blocks 42 inches high. The Botanical Gardens are public but require a moderate admission fee.
 
 
Joshua Tree California USA Armillary Sphere Dial 625
A 5 foot diameter steel armillary sphere with 6 foot gnomon rod. Inner surface of equatorial ring has cast Roman numerals; outer surface has cast Zodiac signs colored gold. Sphere is supported by 13 inch high four-flange base. Dial sits on a 42 inch high cast concrete cylindrical base.
 
 
Ukiah California USA Horizontal Dial Dial 624
A horizontal dial of welded steel plate using weld bead for hour lines and numerals. Marked for PST.
 
 
Sahuarita Arizona USA Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon Dial 623
An unusual dial by John Carmichael using a gnomon tip to cast the shadow to indicate time. The dial face is poured concrete with inlaid metal longitude-corrected hour lines, and is nearly horizontal, inclining just 1.27 degrees for water drainage. It declines 89.28 degrees east of south. Bronze plaque has User Instructions and an Equation of Time Graph. Dial functions best during the middle part of the day. The style shadow lies outside of the dial face boundaries in the early mornings and late afternoons. The massive elaborate base that supports the gnomon rod is made from stacked flagstone. A waterfall cascades from the back south side of the base and flows a long distance to the south through a canal that has several water fountains and pools along the way. Around the base is a planter with bedding plants. The base and gnomon are lighted at night.
 
 
St. Louis Missouri USA Horizontal Dial Dial 622
A 16.5 inch diameter bronze horizontal dial on a stone pedestal in front of the south entrance to the glass-walled Jewel Box building in Forest Park. The dial was erected by the Missouri Society Colonial Dames of America as a tribute to the memory of Mary Harrison Leighton Shields, who organized the Society in 1896 and served as its president until 1913. The dial face is inscribed, "WE LIVE IN DEEDS NOT YEARS." Dial furniture includes an hour glass and eagle wings. The perimeter around the dial is inscribed, "MARY HARRISON LEIGHTON SHIELDS." Dial sits atop a stone pedestal.
 
 
Toledo Ohio USA Equatorial Dial Dial 621
An equatorial projection dial 18 inches wide atop a 3 foot high fluted steel column. Located on the Anthony Wayne Trail Bridge inside the zoo near its entrance, access requires zoo admission. Dial sits atop a three foot high fluted steel column.
 
 
New Harmony Indiana USA Vertical Dial Dial 620
A historic wood and iron vertical dial 34 inches wide x 42 inches high x 1-3/4 inches thick. This original Harmonist dial was made in 1821 by the Harmonie Society, a group of Lutheran separatists from Germany who settled in the US in the early 1800's. The original dial hung on a private house; when fire destroyed the house in 1844, the dial was rescued and placed on the south wall of Community House 2, located across the street from the destroyed house. A modern replica (similar at least) now is placed on the exterior wall and the original historic dial is on display inside and can be seen on a daily tour.
 
 
Cleveland Ohio USA Horizontal Dial Dial 619
A 7 foot diameter semicircular inclined horizontal dial of concrete with a bronze gnomon. Gnomon support features a cast representation of a nautilus shell. Each hour arc is marked with a geologic period within the "542 million year period" most animal life has evolved.
 
 
Ann Arbor Michigan USA Vertical Dial Dial 618
A painted steel on building brick vertical dial with a 6 foot gnomon. Gnomon includes decoration of two children and a gear wheel. Hour markings are Roman numerals.
 
 
Ann Arbor Michigan USA Equatorial Dial Dial 617
A three foot wide brass and steel armillary of complex design with many features. Gift of Albina du Bolsrouvray. Markings are in French.
 
 
Ann Arbor Michigan USA Horizontal Dial Dial 616
A 6 foot square weathering steel horizontal dial with a 3 foot high thick welded steel gnomon. Hour lines are welded steel strips. No hour numerals are present.
 
 
Lakewood New Jersey USA Horizontal Dial Dial 615
A one-foot diameter bronze horizontal dial on a carved marble base depicting three satyrs holding up the dial. Sundial is original to the Gould estate, now Georgian Court University campus. The dial is supported by a carved marble sculpture depicting three satyrs.
 
 
New York New York USA Sun Alignment Dial 614
A granite park bench about 30 feet diameter whose bench shelf was designed to cast a shadow indicating time on the equinoxes. Individual curved lines corresponding to the bench shadows mark 10AM, Noon and 2PM. Known as the Waldo Hutchins Bench, the bench includes a second hemicyclium dial above its backrest; refer to Dial 250. Dial alignment may not be accurate.
 
 
Oakland California USA Reflective Equatorial Dial 613
One of Bill Gottesman's unique-design Renaissance dials of cast and structural bronze with a 27 inch diameter helix with a celestial-north aligned axis. Time is told by a focused beam of light that moves around the helix throughout the day. The light beam is reflected from a long cylindrical unsilvered mirror in a structure that supports the helix. A sliding time scale within the helix can be adjusted for EOT and DST and includes longitude correction. Once this scale is adjusted for date, the dial shows civil, or clock, time. The dial base is cast bronze allowing adjustment for latitude and placed on a concrete pedestal.
 
 
Berkeley California USA Armillary Sphere Dial 612
The armillary dial is made of red bronze and rests on a quarried stone pedestal. The equatorial ring includes hour lines with 15-minute marks and Roman numerals. It was created by Frank Cheney, a UC Berkeley graduate, Class of 1941, and later donated to the Garden by his family. Mr. Cheney was a civil engineer who developed a hobby of building sundials.
 
 
St. Augustine Florida USA Vertical Dial Dial 611
This painted dial is about 3 by 4 feet with simple lines marking the hours and quarter hours from 8 am to 5 pm. Hours are marked with. Roman numerals. The gnomon is a replacement of the original, coming out of the wall at a perpendicular angle, then bent for the slightly declining dial. Dial's painted coordinates are about 15" south and 27" east of true (Google Earth).
 
 
Clifton Village Ohio USA Vertical Dial Dial 610
A 35 x 23 inch vertical acrylic painted wood dial. Dial face includes longitude-corrected hour lines with Roman numerals, noon analemma, and equinox and zodiacal declination arcs. The dial is designed for a declination of 1° 18' West of South. Dial nomenclature includes location, declination and time zone offset.
 
 
Wilmington Delaware USA Vertical Dial Dial 609
An 18 x 24 inch cast bronze vertical dial offset from supporting wall by 6.25° to align south. Dial face has hour lines with Arabic numerals and depicts a leaf motif with sun and sun rays and two birds.
 
 
Peoria Illinois USA Horizontal Dial Dial 607
An 18 inch octagonal horizontal dial of cast bronze. The dial face includes hour lines with ten minute marks and Roman numerals. The dial is on an octagonal polished granite pedestal. The bronze gnomon is correctly set at 40? but appears to be more modern than the cast dial face. This is one of two "sister" dials ordered cast by Grant Hood; the second dial was placed at Bradley School of Horology but later disposed and now in private ownership in Lynchburg, Virginia.
 
 
Lexington Kentucky USA Horizontal Dial Dial 606
A 14 foot diameter horizontal dial of granite, marble and limestone with shrubbery delineation in the center of a cul de sac street. The hour lines are shaped to include analemmas to correct for EOT and are adjusted for longitude and DST. The shadow of the tip of the gnomon traces declination lines for solstices and equinoxes.
 
 
St. Louis Missouri USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 605
A child-safe compliant surface analemmatic dial located in a roof garden. The dial face includes hour numerals, cardinal directions and moon phases. A nearby plaque give directions for use.
 
 
Colorado Springs Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 604
A monumental 120 foot diameter horizontal dial of painted concrete with a vertical 12 foot high concrete gnomon. Standard time and DST hour numerals are shown as are solstice and equinox lines. Dial face includes two 6 foot diameter inlaid mosaic maps of the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. The gnomon is a truncated three-sided equilateral pyramid that inclines to the north so that the northern corner is vertical. Two bronze plaques give instructions for reading and equation of time correction. Seen from above, the overall design incorporates a Yin Yang symbol appropriate for this elementary school specializing in teaching Chinese language and culture.
 
 
New York New York USA Horizontal Dial Dial 603
A cast bronze horizontal dial approximately 30 inches diameter. The dial face includes the motto, astrological symbols of the ecliptic with Roman numerals. The 40-inch high cast pedestal sculpture depicts the three muses supporting the dial. This dial is visible from the street in front of the residence.