Lake Wales  

 Sundial: 36
State/Province:  Florida Country:  USA
Dial Type:  Vertical Dial Condition:  Excellent
  Latitude and Longitude: 27° 56.103' N  81° 34.650' W
Location:
  • Bok Tower Gardens
    1151 Tower Blvd.
    Lake Wales
    on the Singing Tower.
    Admission Fee $3.
 
Description:
  • Beautiful vertical dial, approx 12x6 foot of Georgia marble with a brass gnomon approx 5 foot long. Declination lines present. Hour & half hour lines with hours in Roman numerals. Sunburst pattern above gnomon. From the Guidebook, published by the Garden: 'The famous sundial carved on the south wall of the Tower indicates the latitude and longitude of Iron Mountain. It is known as an erect declining dial as it stands vertically at an exact right angle with the surface of the earth... and does not face directly south but is tilted towards the east with a declination of 4 degrees, 20 minutes.' It has an Equation of time chart and shows the days of the months as well. Directions are to 'Add minutes shown for each day to obtain Eastern Standard Time.'

    The tower and adjacent sanctuary were dedicated by Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States, February 1, 1929.
 
General Information:
  • Owner: Bok Tower Gardens
  • Designer: Milton B. Medary designed the tower. Dial designer unknown.
  • Builder:
  • Construction Date: 1929
 
References:
  • Mayall, p.220,225.
    Architectural Record, Aug 1937.
    Mayall, 'Dialing the Time', Sunworld, 4:3, 1980, p.109-113.

Last Revised: 2021-07-09 12:36