Bethesda  

Sundial: 461
State/Province:  Maryland Country:  United States
Dial Type:  Horizontal Dial Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 38° 59.990' N  77° 5.617' W
Location:
  • Walter Reed National Medical Center (formerly Naval Medical Center Bethesda). Outside the south entrance.
 
Description:
  • 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.

    The accompanying plaque reads, "Cast especially for the Naval Hospital at Brooklyn, New York. This bronze sundial stood on the grounds from 1924 until the hospital was disestablished in June 1948" In its current location, the dial is reclined by two degrees to accommodate the latitude of Bethesda, MD. The dial sets on a simple cylindrical pillar. Original estimated site at US Naval Hospital, Brooklyn Naval Yard, NY as lat 40 deg 41' N, lon 73 deg 57' W.

    The laboratory at NH Brooklyn was Ammen Farenholt’s first training duty station when he entered naval service in May of 1894 as an Assistant Surgeon (equivalent rank of Ensign).
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: U.S. Navy
  • Around dial is the mottto:
    non numero horas nisi serenas
    (I count only the sunny hours)
    and
    United States
    Naval Hospital
    Brooklyn New York
    1924
  • Designer: RADM Ammen Farenholt
  • Builder: US Naval Foundry
  • Construction Date: 1924
 
References:
  • Farenholt Sundials
    #181 US NH Annapolis MD
    #258 US Naval Center Bethesda MD
    #461 US NH Brooklyn (Walter Reed, Bethesda MD)
    #462 US NH Pearl Harbor (At Walter Reed)
    #1014 US NH Parris Island SC (Beaufort SC)
    #1076 US NH Mare Island CA
    #1077 US NH Newport RI
    #1078 US NH Puget Sound WA (Bremerton, WA)
    #1079 US NH San Diego CA
    #1080 US Naval Ammo Depot (Hawthorne, NV)
    #1081 US Naval Air Station CA
    #1082 US NH Portsmouth NH
    #1083 US NH Corpus Christi TX

Last Revised: 2022-12-15 20:26