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).

 
 
Los Altos California USA Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon Dial 498
A triangular entry canopy 13 feet height by 128 feet wide by 26 feet deep at the Georgina Blach Intermediate School casts a shadow on the front pavement walkway. The pavement is etched with a gnomonic projection to show the hours and seasons. The dial was created by architects Lisa Gelfand and Andrew Davis who did considerable research for the dial. Their design was submitted to the school district for approval. It's a fun sundial and the students and teachers love it.
 
 
Albany New York USA Vertical Dial Dial 497
A beautiful and well preserved vertical dial 40 x 40 inches. The sundial is on the southerly facing wall of Albany City Hall's 202 foot carillon tower, a building on the National Historic Register. The dial is marked with lines every 15 minutes; the hour lines are marked in roman numerals extending from XII in the morning to XII at night. Although the dial is in excellent condition, the gnomon is slightly bent. There is a small "signature" on the lower boarder of the brass plate, "Haight and Clark, Albany NY". Side note: The tower houses the first municipal carillon in the US (1927).
 
 
Columbia Missouri USA Cylindrical Dial Dial 496
A cylindrical dial 10 inches in diameter constructed of photoengraved aluminum. The elegant dial plate shows each hour line as a full analemma and lines for Central Standard and Central Daylight Time. Accompanied by seasonal lines of solstice, equinox, monthly lines and other dates during the year. Back and base of dial are constructed of PVC.
 
 
Medicine Hat Alberta Canada Equatorial Dial Dial 495
The Medicine Hat equatorial sundial was commissioned by the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat to commemorate its 50th anniversary (1918-1968). This is an Erickson equatorial polar dial. The dial is 6 feet 9 inches in diameter, made of pink granite, and weighs 3450 pounds. The dial is supported by an inclined stainless steel gnomon rod 3 inches in diameter, with overall length just over 6 feet. As with many of these dials, there are two equation of time plaques.
 
 
Traverse City Michigan USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 494
This beautiful analemmatic dial was built as part of the American Society of Landscape Architects' 100 years/100 Parks project. A colored concrete pad was poured on the north/south axis and scored joints for each month. Stainless steel plates show the name of the months. On either side of the concrete pad are dry laid flagstones with creeping thyme in the joints. Hour markers are 12 inch diameter colored concrete bases with numbers cut from stainless steel. A stained glass sun plaque at the top of the month axis was made by a local artisan. Total dial size is about 10 x 20 feet.
 
 
Taos New Mexico USA Horizontal Dial Dial 493
A copper and bronze horizontal dial about 15 x 15 inches. The dial was built by the Rocky Mountain Youth Corp, an organization the helps direct the energies of "at risk" youth. Base of dial is clad with 2x4 inch glazed tiles made by all the 5th graders in town. There is a compass rose around the base and on dedication day, an area of wet cement was available those present to make an inscription or hand print.
 
 
Hamilton Ontario Canada Vertical Dial Dial 492
On the outside south wall of the library, about 15 feet above the ground is a vertical dial about one meter square. Dial is declined 18 deg 6 min west. The 1pm and 8pm numbers are missing. The dial is stone with aluminum gnomon and numbers.
 
 
Washington District of Columbia USA Gnomonic or Projection Dial Dial 491
With a bit of whimsy at the end of each day for over two years, Dr. James Griffith marked the position of a ray of sunlight on a wall that entered from a west window overlooking the Potomac river. The result is an analemma, tracing the sun's position at 4:10 pm E.S.T. throughout the seasons. Dr. Griffith was a chemist, but as written on a plaque next to the analemma, "Exactly what this has to do with chemistry per se is not perfectly clear, but Viva Principia Scientifica!"
 
 
Roswell New Mexico USA Horizontal Dial Dial 490
A beautiful bronze sundial sits on a pillar of rough marble. It was given to the Library by the Roswell Womens Club at the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately the dial is damaged, but the Roswell Womans Club is searching for someone to repair the dial.
 
 
Cuencame Durango Mexico Vertical Dial Dial 489
This vertical dial is 2m tall by 1.2 m wide and sits atop a quarried column nearly 7 m high. The gnomon on each face is approximately 60 cm long, and 16-19 mm in diameter. Each face has Roman numerals to indicate apparent solar time from 6am to 6pm. Alpha and Omega Greek letters. A carved cross at the twelve hour line. Inscribed "1904"
 
 
Monterrey Nuevo Leon Mexico Equatorial Dial Dial 488
This equatorial dial is just over 3 m in size, made of iron. Along the equatorial band are twelve Roman numerals to indicate apparent solar time and twelve Arabic numerals to indicate standard time. The outside of the equatorial band has zodiac constellations. There are also solstice and equinox discs at the gnomon. There is a plaque for the equation of time and an explanation of time corrections next to the sundial. The dial sits on a 1 m high stone base.
 
 
Torreon Coahuila Mexico Vertical Dial Dial 487
This is a stone cube 3.5 m high with four vertical dials. Each dial face is about 2.2 m high by 1.25 m wide The South and North faces have Arabic numerals to indicate solar time from 6am to 18hrs, with marks every 15 minutes. The East face has numerals from 6am to 12pm and the West face complements from 12pm to 18hrs. These faces have half hour marks. The South face has seven declination lines, constellation dates, analemma line, zodiac symbols, and equinoctial and solstice lines. A curve to indicate light and shadow hours all the year is on each face. A square base on quarry. At the north-east corner are the carved names of the designer Miguel Bertran de Quintana and builder Cirilo Nunez. Note: because of the sundial size and latitude, it was necessary to extend the four vertical faces of the sundial into the horizontal plane to indicate the summer solstice line and 11:30 and noon hours of summer.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 486
This large horizontal dial is approximately 6-foot square with a 4-foot gnomon. The dial face is done in two tones of marble. Time is indicated by radiating hour lines to nearly the dial's edge and graced with Roman numerals. The gnomon has an emblem of the masonic star on west side, and the masonic square and compass on the east side.
 
 
West Des Moines Iowa USA Armillary Sphere Dial 485
This is a 24-inch armillary sphere on top of a portion of a brass globe showing continents and latitude lines o The dial points generally south, aligned for beauty, not function. The base is aligned to a general northern direction. The time equatorial band, meridian circle and improper horizontal band are painted black. Elegant polished brass Arabic hour numbers half-hour brass time beads indicate the time on the equatorial band. Sits on a concrete column several feet high.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 484
A small 8-inch diameter dial of bronze with black background and highly polished Roman numbers and hour lines. An eight-point compass rose, equally well polished occupies the majority of the center. The gnomon is missing. The dial plate is set at an incorrect orientation. The dial sits on a 4-foot high fluted granite column.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 483
A very large and striking horizontal dial 50 feet in diameter with a 15 foot tall metal gnomon. Dial has standard time marked in brass Roman numerals and daylight saving time in smaller circular brass discs with Arabic numerals. The 16 large granite markers radiating from the center are artistic effect only and to not mark time. This large monumental dial is surrounded by a knot-garden. The dial granite base is raised 2.5 feet.The knot-garden theme is continued on the upper, center level.
 
 
Palo Alto California USA Vertical Dial Dial 482
A vertical declining dial approximately 45 x 55 inches. Made of aluminum and brass. Shows the hours from 8 am to 5 pm using analemmas. Analemmas are bounded by the summer and winter solstices and a straight line through them shows the equinox. Daylight time is shown using Roman numerals, with standard time shown in Arabic. In keeping with the motto, a simple equation is written on the dial face, d/dt is not equal 0. Designer Ronald Bracewell used an oculus, a disk with a central hole, standing 8 cm in front of the dial face. The disk casts a shadow with a bright sunlight dot to indicate both time and season. Hour lines include longitude correction. This has been relocated; it was previously hanging free below a south facing wall, facing the Terman Engineering Building. Dial is now located on the wall of a covered walkway area.
 
 
Honolulu Hawaii USA Vertical Dial Dial 481
An elegant vertical declining and reclining dial built on the sloping face of a large lava boulder. Total size of the dial is 4 1/2 x 6 feet and uses a half-inch thick copper gnomon 6 x 10 inches. Hour lines and numerals at 9, 12, and 3 are of brass. The dial is corrected for longitude and was designed to fit its deep valley location and orientation of the boulder. Tradition holds that these rocks have spirits and must be treated with respect.
 
 
De Dedo Guam USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 480
This analemmatic dial approximately 10 x 20 feet set into concrete. At the low latitude of Guam, the gnomon standing spot extends outside to ellipse of hour markers. Between April and September the shadows are very short near the noon hour and are difficult to read.
 
 
Council Bluffs Iowa USA Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon Dial 479
Vertical gnomon casting its shadow onto a plaza in front of the city library. Modernistic design. This dial has been scheduled for removal as of October, 2010 due to cracking and to make more green space.
 
 
Edinburg Texas USA Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon Dial 478
A vertical gnomon 19.58 feet tall projects its shadow onto a modernistic courtyard. The courtyard has inlays showing the hour corrected for the equation of time, give a sinuous set of curves to the hour lines.
 
 
Colima Colima Mexico Equatorial Dial Dial 477
A bright bronze equatorial sundial with a stainless steel equatorial band. The gnomon has an analemma for the correction of time and a colorful sunburst near the northern end of the rod.
 
 
Santa Rosa California USA Equatorial Dial Dial 476
An bronze equatorial dial about 2 feet in diameter. Stands in the middle of a Lotus flower
 
 
Greenfield Massachusetts USA Hours to Sunset Dial 475
A 5 foot diameter pink Canadian granite horizontal hours-until-sunset dial. The 8 inch thick granite slab weighs 2000 pounds and rests on a short recessed pedestal, appearing to float above the grass dome of a memorial garden. Lines for hour periods 2-12 are marked with Arabic numerals. The gnomon is a 3/8 inch brass rod protruding 4 inches above the dial face. The dial face is engraved, "HOURS UNTIL SUNSET" and, "READ TIP OF SHADOW." This sundial does not function in the usual manner that tells time of day. Rather, this dial tells the number of hours from the present time of day to the time of sunset. These are equal-period hours counted down until sunset. Since it shows a time period, rather than time-of-day, the dial accuracy is not affected by season of year, daylight saving time or longitude location within the local time zone. Further, this particular design uses a horizontal dial face, while most hours-until-sunset dials use a vertical face. This dial is dedicated as a memorial to Dr. Pallav Parakh, a much-loved surgeon who was killed in a tragic auto accident while walking in a crosswalk.
 
 
Charleston West Virginia USA Equatorial Dial Dial 474
A bronze equatorial sundial, about 4 feet in diameter.
 
 
New London Connecticut USA Horizontal Dial Dial 473
A horizontal dial of striking modern design about 24 inches in diameter. The dial face is granite with milled wedges, leaving hour lines from 6 am to 6 pm. Hours are represented by small round bronze markers. The gnomon is of unusual design. When installed, the gnomon had a vertical glass plate below the style. The dial doubled as a fountain - water flowed from the top of the gnomon down the glass plate. Each of the bronze hour markers also had a small spray of water. The round granite dial is slightly smaller than the octagonal pedestal and base. A small trough between them recovers water from the fountain.
 
 
Amherst Nova Scotia Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 472
A Centennial Dial for Amherst, this is a square horizontal dial with clean design about 18 x 18 inches. The dial face and triangular gnomon are cast bronze sitting upon a granite pedestal. The dial has hour lines and Roman numerals from IIII (morning) to VIII (evening) and tick marks for the quarter hours. An accompanying display explains the function of the sundial and contains a table for the Equation of Time, including longitudinal correction.
 
 
Cocoa Florida USA Equatorial Dial Dial 471
This is a simple equatorial dial 58 inches wide and 49.5 inches high. Because of the low latitude, the 6 inch wide equatorial band has Roman hour markings only from 7am to 5 pm. The gnomon is a thin, unadorned rod. The dial base is a square box with canted top to the Florida latitude, supporting the equatorial cross members.
 
 
Monticello Virginia USA Globe or Hemispheric Dial 470
A replica of Jefferson's lost dial, which he recounted in 1817, "My dial captivates every body foreign as well as home-bred, as a handsome object & accurate measurer of time." Made according to Jefferson's design, the replica dial is a 10 1/2 inch painted wood sphere with horizontal lines drawn for the equator, Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Longitudinal lines are drawn between the two tropics to indicate the hours of the day. A gnomon fixed to the poles swings around the globe until it casts the smallest meridian shadow. The original sphere was made of black locust wood but the replica is mahogany because it is "more durable, stable and easier to find." The base was originally a model of a capital, the top part of a column, that Latrobe had designed for the U.S. Capitol. It was unique, featuring ears of corn in motif. When Jefferson received the base from Latrove, "it looked bald for want of something to crown it" and so Jefferson designed a globe that "might be made to perform the functions of a dial."
 
 
Pinawa Manitoba Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 469
The Pinawa Heritage Sundial located in the center of town was constructed as a city wide effort to create pride and focus. The 17.5 foot high horizontal sundial has a gnomon constructed of steel and the 38.5 by 40.5 foot base is constructed of polished granite, rail, and granite stones. The sundial has two sets of time markers. An outer dial ring indicates local apparent time, while an inner dial ring indicates zonal solar time. Forming an integral part of the sundial, 12 icons were designed and constructed, illustrating the history of the region and its people.
 
 
Niagara Falls Ontario Canada Armillary Sphere Dial 468
A small 18 to 24 inch armillary sphere. Has a traditional arrow marking the gnomon. It sits on a pedestal in the center of the herb garden.
 
 
Big Bay Ontario Canada Analemmatic Dial Dial 467
This is a nicely constructed analemmatic dial, made of concrete, stone and ceramic tile. The hour markers are a series of small posts set in a continuous elliptical path with a 6 meter major axis and 4 meter minor axis. The sundial is located in a field next to a megalithic henge at Keppel Croft Farm and Gardens.
 
 
Thunder Bay Ontario Canada Analemmatic Dial Dial 466
A very well constructed analemmatic dial about 24 by 11 feet. The dial may be difficult to find, since it is in the center of a field that is devoted to wild grass of the area. Cement markers are used to show the hours and for the central base showing the months where to stand. The hourly markers are corrected for the longitude of Thunder Bay. The site is visited quite frequently by school children and is a great educational tool for dialing.
 
 
Tucson Arizona USA Horizontal Dial Dial 465
A simple square horizontal dial 20 x 20 inches carved in a 3 inch block of granite with a bronze gnomon. The dial has hour lines from 6am to 6pm for local solar time. No graph or table for longitude and Equation of Time corrections. Dial sits atop a 3 foot square pedestal.
 
 
Tucson Arizona USA Horizontal Dial Dial 464
A horizontal sundial 45 x 61 inches with a monofilar brass cable gnomon and tension counterweight. This is the largest horizontal sundial in the US carved on a single piece of stone, taking two years to build. The dial has hour lines from 5am to 8pm, corrected for longitude. Each hour line has an analemma and in the lower right of the dial is a graph of the Equation of Time. A nodus on the wire gnomon indicates date, with declension lines for summer and winter solstice, equinox, and date lines. Time and direction of sunrise and sunset are marked on the equinox and solstice lines. At the base of the gnomon is a 16-point compass rose. On the left side of the dial is a table for telling time by moon shadows. In the center is a copy of the hands from "The Creation" by Michelangelo.
 
 
Ithaca New York USA Horizontal Dial Dial 463
A horizontal sundial made from a an irregular slab of stone approximately 18 x 24 inches. The hour markings are inscribed in the form of an arrow pointing to the 12 o'clock hour and the gnomon is a thin blade. In keeping with the herb garden's design, maker and designer Michael Sweeney used native materials of stone for the dial and pedestal. The dial base was a prized antique millstone of orange granite from a nearby village.
 
 
Bethesda Maryland United States Horizontal Dial Dial 462
Farenholt sundial for U.S. Naval Hospital Pearl Harbor, Hawaiian Islands. This cast bronze dial was designed and commissioned by RADM Farenholt for U.S. Naval Hospitals at bases where he was commanding officer, visited, or had special meaning to him. The dial is 18 inches (46cm) in diameter. The outer chapter ring has the motto, followed by a chapter ring with Arabic hours 6am to 6pm, raised hour lines that radiate from near the foot of the gnomon and short half-hour lines. The gnomon has graceful curves and a quatrefoil cut-out in the center. Below the gnomon is the naval command name, followed by the commissioning date in the southern portion of the hours chapter ring.
 
 
Bethesda Maryland United States Horizontal Dial Dial 461
Farenholt sundial for U.S. Naval Hospital Brooklyn NY. This cast bronze dial was designed and commissioned by RADM Farenholt for U.S. Naval Hospitals at bases where he was commanding officer, visited, or had special meaning to him. The dial is 18 inches (46cm) in diameter. The outer chapter ring has the motto, followed by a chapter ring with Arabic hours 6am to 6pm, raised hour lines that radiate from near the foot of the gnomon and short half-hour lines. The gnomon has graceful curves and a trefoil cut-out in the center. Below the gnomon is the naval command name, followed by the commissioning date in the southern portion of the hours chapter ring.
 
 
Newark Ohio USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 460
An analemmatic dial with stone markers for the hours
 
 
Tenango de Doria Hidalgo Mexico Vertical Dial Dial 459
A very striking vertical reclining dial 85 x 115 cm created from hand painted tiles, each individually fired in a kiln and assembled at Tenango de Doria by David Canyedo. In addition to hour lines, the dial includes declination lines for the solstices and equinox. The dial includes constellation maps of both the northern and southern hemispheres, a celestial sphere, and rose of winds (compass). The artistry also includes NAHUI OLLIN (the fifth sun which is the era we are living in according to the Aztecs). The dial has an equation of time that allows conversion from local solar time to standard time. The dial was designed to arouse interest of high school students in astronomy.
 
 
Bullhead City Arizona USA Horizontal Dial Dial 458
This horizontal dial is an engraved flagstone approximately 42 inches in diameter designed by John Carmichael. The monofilar gnomon is a stranded brass cable that extends upward to a height of 18 inches and is held taught by a rock counterweight. Hour lines and direction of sunrise and sunset for the equinoxes and solstices are given. Also has noon Mark, The Equation of time, and a 32-point Compass Rosette
 
 
Casa Grande Arizona USA Horizontal Dial Dial 457
This horizontal dial is an engraved flagstone approximately 40 inches in diameter designed by John Carmichael. The monofilar gnomon is a stranded brass cable that extends upward to a height of 15 inches and is held taught by a rock counterweight. The engraved stone shows time marks to 5 minutes, corrected for longitude. Time and direction of sunrise and sunset for the equinoxes and solstices are also given.
 
 
Tucson Arizona USA Vertical Dial Dial 456
This is a 10 x 10 foot south vertical wall dial with hour lines painted on the wall that are corrected for longitude. A unique feature of this dial is the time scale can be rotated forward or back slightly to compensate for the Equation of Time. However, because only the hours are marked, precise minute reading is difficult. Welded steel was used to make the time marker ring and gnomon.
 
 
Halifax Nova Scotia Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 455
This bronze horizontal dial is approximately 25 cm across on a one-meter high pedestal. Both the dial and dedication plate have a blue-green patina. The gnomon is slightly bent and appears to have been re-attached to the dial. The orientation remains true. Roman numerals mark the hours from 5 am to 7 pm. Hour lines plus half-hour marks. The concrete base is badly cracked and small pieces have fallen away. The dial is well-situated in an open area, but a nearby tree might shade the dial near midday during fall, winter, and spring.
 
 
Juneau Alaska USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 454
Painted on a downtown sidewalk is an analemmatic sundial for public use. The 25 x 20 foot sundial was organized as a community project. Eden Orelove, niece of designer Michael Orelove said, "We wanted to get as many school classes and local volunteer organizations involved as possible." Groups were invited to join the project by painting the hourly numbers. Two concentric ring of numbers are used to indicate both standard and daylight saving time, which extends from 4 am to 10 pm.
 
 
Mexico City Distrito Federal Mexico Horizontal Dial Dial 453
A triangular based horizontal dial with a triangular moat. The outer triangular sides are approximately 12 feet (4 meters). The dial and moat are built of concrete, with an aluminum or sheet metal gnomon about 150 cm. On the dial are metal pyramids to indicate hours. The sundial was donated by the Tecnologico de Monterrey University.
 
 
Las Cruces New Mexico USA Equatorial Dial Dial 452
A large equatorial dial with steel gnomon. The massive dial is set simply on a set of tiered platforms. The inner tiers are rotated from the outer to align to the cardinal points. Elsie Raye Rigney Carr and Dr. Jesse Lawrence Carr gave the dial to the university in 1975 in memory of Raye Hines Rigney, Class of 1911.
 
 
Elizabethtown Pennsylvania USA Vertical Dial Dial 451
A 4x4 foot marble vertical dial declining 25° east of south with a copper gnomon, located above the center entrance of the Grand Lodge Hall and overlooking the formal garden of the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown. The dial face includes hour lines with half hour and ten minute marks and Roman numerals. An inscription, "ANNO DOMINI MCMXII" is located above the gnomon. The dial declines 25° east of south.
 
 
Kingston Ontario Canada Vertical Dial Dial 450
A square pillar of limestone rocks 4 foot on a side and 15 feet high with a small bowl and sphere on top hold two vertical dials each 2x2 feet. The pillar faces are oriented SE and SW allowing for two declining dials. The dials are of solid brass and have hour lines with Arabic numbers in a modern design belying by the stonework of the pillars. Unfortunately the 14-inch gnomons are bent
 
 
Ottawa Ontario Canada Globe or Hemispheric Dial 449
This hemispherium dial is a dramatic modern sculpture. The 32 inch quarter hemisphere is carved into the edge of a 40 inch cube of dark granite tilted to conform to its latitude of 45.5° , and set upon a rough concrete pedestal of slightly smaller dimension. The gnomon is a