Selected Sundials of North America

This is a selected listing of sundials in the North American Sundial Society Registry. Click on any dial thumbnail picture or city name to display the full dial description with additional information and images.

Louisiana

	Breaux Bridge	Louisiana	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 992
	This is a simple but well designed equatorial dial made of a steel frame and 4-foot diameter aluminum equatorial band. This time band can be loosened from its frame and rotated to an equation of time offset position that's based on solar noon according to dates on a placard fixed to the base. When adjusted, the dial shows time to within a minute. The 10-minute time marks and Arabic hour numbers used vinyl numbers and strips as cover during sand-blasting of the aluminum time band. The vinyl was removed leaving the reflective and polished marks and numbers against the grainy sanded aluminum. (This process was first done on a test piece five years earlier and placed it in direct sunlight - no signs of deterioration or coloring. So this is a relatively easy and permanent alternative to chemical etching). Attention is given to alignment with the base adjusted in azimuth and the dial adjusted with a set of three-point latitude and skew alignment bolts. This dial is an excellent study in functional design. According to the builder, "It was a real fun project. Getting it designed and properly setup was challenging. It has given me a keen appreciation for what it must have taken to build some of the great dials around the world!"
	New Orleans	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 237
	This large horizontal sundial sits on a slightly pink concrete egg-shaped base 24 x 17.5 feet. This dais is nearly at ground level. The gnomon is an elegant stainless steel blade approximately 8 feet high sitting at the widest part of the dais, with hours marked around the dais edge with small bronze animals at each hour from 6am to 6pm. For example the noon hour is represented by a turtle.
	New Orleans	Louisiana	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 273
	Approximately 14-inch bronze sun dial consisting of an standard equatorial hour ring. However the gnomon is a thin semi-circular disk. The top straight edge is the style casting its shadow onto the equatorial ring. All of this sites on top a low bronze metal dome base.
	New Orleans	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 846
	Amidst the gardens in City Park is the Bacher Sundial, an 18-foot diameter pebbled concrete horizontal sundial set flush with the ground. The gnomon is well made, with curves nicely cut, edges straight, and the weld fillet is smooth and blends the upright with the base nicely. It is set on a low circular dais set considerably south of the center of the circular dial face. The gnomon is a simple iron blade 144 inches in length along the style edge. At the base, slots for anchoring the gnomon allow adjustment of 8-10 degrees to align to true north. Currently the gnomon sits near the center of the range, but can be pushed by hand to either end of the range. With loose nuts holding the gnomon, it appears canted at the base. Tightening the nuts could restore gnomon to its necessary 30 degree angle, but deterioration of the bolt anchors may prevent full tightening.
	New Orleans	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 851
	The concrete dial is 32 inches in diameter with simple hour lines without any further ornamentation. The foot high gnomon is a stainless steel wedge, tapering slightly from base to top. An interesting effect of looking at the sundial and gnomon: by moving your head, the hour lines reflected in the gnomon can line up with lines on the other side of the gnomon. The dial sits on a 3 foot high concrete pedestal.
	Shreveport	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 138
	Stone Dial vandalized. Gnomon missing, apparently knocked off with some damage to horizontal dial plate. Dial bears Roman numerals, from IV to VIII.
	St. Francesville	Louisiana	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 394
	A small 9 inch diameter brass horizontal dial sits on top of a cast iron pedestal. The dial face is worn, but readable with Roman numerals and 5-minute graduations. The dial plate is rotated about 40 degrees east of North. To the south of the gnomon is a 2 1/2 inch diameter mirror with unknown use. On left and right of the gnomon is scroll engraving of the equation of time. The dial sits on a 3 foot cast iron pedestal, painted adobe-red. A matching adobe-red dome cap with 8 sides covers the dial. Cap has an acorn handle lift.