Denver  

 Sundial: 24
State/Province:  Colorado Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Equatorial Dial Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 39° 43.153' N  104° 56.084' W
Location:
  • Cranmer Park (formerly known as Mountain View Park). Bounded by E. 3rd Ave., Cherry St., E. 1st Ave. & Bellaire St. Dial is on the east side of the park on a flagstone plaza
 
Description:
  • Large Erickson equatorial monument dial. It consists of a disc of pink granite about 6 feet in diameter and 6 inches thick, tilted on edge to align with the earth's equator. The gnomon is a stainless steel rod approximately 3 inches in diameter, piercing the disc at 90 degrees. It supports the disc from below, and protrudes about 2-3 feet above the disc; far enough that it casts a shadow on the face of the disc all summer. Winter shadows fall on the back side of the dial, also engraved with hour lines.

    The original sundial was erected in 1941. Dean Babcock was associated with the late Stephen A. Ionides of Erickson Monument Co. in designing and setting various sundials in Colorado, including this one. When George Cranmer undertook to place a dial of Chinese tradition in Cranmer park, Dean helped Ionides to translate the Chinese characters into Arabic. The stone cutter was probably John Earl Hershberger. The dial was replaced with the current one March 21, 1966 after the original was dynamited by vandals.

    The sandstone of the sundial base came from Lyons, Colorado. It is 5'5" thick and extends two feet below the pavement. In his inimitable style, Cranmer wrote in 1950 that "the sundial is only seventeen seconds of time East of the 105th Meridian on which Mountain Time is based, and since the whole setting is so accurate, one can set his watch by it." Erickson Monument, makers of the original sundial, created the award replica.

    In August 2014 fund raising began to refurbish the plaza that was deteriorating due to winter freezing. The plaza and Cranmer sundial with new Equation of Time was dedicated in October 2018.
 
General Information:Inscription:
  • Owner: City of Denver
  • On the North side
    "In Summer on This Side And ~"
    And on the South Side
    "In Winter Here I Mark The Hours"
  • Designer: Stephen A. Ionides of Erickson Monument Co
  • Builder: Erickson Monument, stone cutter John Earl Hershberger
  • Construction Date: 1941, replaced March 1966, refurbished 2018
 
References: Web Links:
  • Other Erickson Polar Equatorial Dials:
    24, 81, 172, 194, 224, 415, 446, 447, 495, 511, 514

Attachments Available:

Last Revised: 2019-07-19 18:37