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).

	McDonald Observatory	Texas	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 771
	A monumental horizontal dial on a cast concrete base with a 5 foot high polished granite gnomon. Hour lines radiate from the gnomon root and hour markers with Arabic numerals are placed on a square about the gnomon. Instructions for reading the dial are engraved on the side of the gnomon.
	Bloomfield Hills	Michigan	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 770
	An equatorial dial of cast bronze. The heavily patinated dial has Roman hour numerals IIII through VIII and a cast bronze pointer marked, "DAYLIGHT SAVING." It has an unusual crescent shaped arm with notch at the upper end. The arm is rotated until sunlight passes through a hole in the upper arm and strikes an analemma with monthly dates on the lower inner curve of the crescent. Time is then read on a circular dial from an "hour hand" pointer extending from the base of the crescent. The dial sits atop a marble pedestal engraved: "The A.N. Goddard Sundial"
	Croton-on-Hudson	New York	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 769
	A 13-1/2 foot tall monumental horizontal dial memorial to the victims and responders of the 9/11/2001 World Trade Center terrorist attack. The memorial sundial gnomon is created from an 11000-pound, 14-foot long twisted steel beam once part of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The gnomon is held at an angle of 41 deg 12 minutes by a 16-ton boulder with inset channel to cradle the twisted steel.
	Corregidora	Queretaro	Mexico	Gnomonic or Projection Dial	Dial 768
	A projection (or, "negative") dial using the south-facing wall and floor of the "Cosmic Room" of a "casa de campo" private cottage. The tile roof over this room contains several skylights with slits for projecting a beam of sunlight onto the wall and one skylight with a small hole to project a dot of sunlight onto the room floor.
	Carbonear	Newfoundland	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 767
	A 10 inch diameter horizontal bronze dial with engraved nomenclature. Hour numerals 4 AM to 6 PM are Roman; ten minute numerals are Arabic and two minute marks are shown. Minute numerals are engraved in sequence 60, 20, 40, 60. Face engravings include EOT dates, "WATCH FASTER" and "WATCH SLOWER" and a central compass rose.
	Nashville	Tennessee	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 766
	A 16 x 12 foot analemmatic dial placed in the Experience Center of the 200 acre Ellington Agricultural Center. Dial is built of paver stones flush to the surroundings with painted inset circular hour marker paver stones and rectangular paver stones for the central date line. Directions for use are painted on the date line.
	Annapolis	Maryland	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 765
	A bronze armillary dial with meridian, horizon and equatorial rings on a concrete pedestal. Dial is located in Government House residence and requires a tour of the property for access.
	Coalinga	California	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 764
	A 26 inch diameter hand-carved, lacquer-coated beige sandstone horizontal dial set flush in a massive cast concrete pedestal. Dial has a thick stone gnomon, hour, half-hour and quarter-hour lines with Arabic ST hour numerals corrected for longitude. Face is marked with symbols showing sunrise and sunset times on solstices and equinoxes and with location coordinates. Dial face includes a hand carved graphic of a Valley Oak tree, symbolic of the San Joaquin Valley dial location. The dial is embedded in a three foot cube cast concrete pedestal bearing a bas relief image of a horned toad, mascot of the Coalinga High School and the city centennial dates 1906 - 2006.
	Lake Oswego	Oregon	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 763
	An analemmatic dial with 20 foot major axis, 14 foot minor axis with hour markers and date line made of sandblasted concrete paver stones. A platform stand on the west side holds instructions on using the dial. A preliminary version of this dial was included on the 2009 NASS Conference Sundial Tour.
	Carbonear	Newfoundland	Canada	Armillary Sphere	Dial 762
	A four foot diameter armillary dial built of 1.5 x 0.5 inch flat steel bar and 3/4 inch steel rod. A 1/2 inch steel rod gnomon casts the shadow on an aluminum equatorial ring, which includes hour and 5 minute marks. Dial includes horizon, equator, ecliptic, tropic, Arctic and Antarctic Circle rings.
	Orosi Valley	Cartago	Costa Rica	Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon	Dial 761
	A 25 foot long point-in-space or nodus dial. The horizontal dial face is cuartilla (crushed stone). The 8 AM - 4 PM hour lines are red adoquines (bricks) and the noon hour line is lodged between gray adoquines. The dial equinox line is a row of gray adoquines. Solstices are identified by the curve formed by the tips of the hour lines. The gnomon atop a 1.8 m high vertical rod is a 21 cm diameter sphere, hand carved out of gabbro, a rock formed from molten magma. It is a replica of bolas de piedra (stone balls) created a thousand years ago by the local Diquis indigenous people and discovered in 1930.
	Wynndel	British Columbia	Canada	Cylindrical Dial	Dial 760
	A ring equatorial dial built inside a cross-sectioned propane LPG tank. The equatorial surface has an inset plaque that shows EOT corrected time and includes declination lines for date shown by the shadow of the nodus on the polar gnomon wire. Dial sits on a granite block pedestal that shows cardinal directions.
	White Rock	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 759
	A 9 x 12 inch stainless steel horizontal dial with 4 AM to 8 PM hour lines and Roman hour numerals for 6 AM and 6 PM. Dial is set on a 24 inch square capital atop a 30 inch high pedestal of concrete and local stones. This pedestal sits on a 50 inch square concrete base that was saved when the railway was moved in 1984
	White Lake	Michigan	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 758
	A 20 x 10 foot concrete analemmatic dial with Arabic numeral hour markers for 3 AM to 9 PM. A single central date line is painted on the dial face. Segmented raised seating surrounds the dial; slump stone block pillars mark the cardinal directions. A raised plaque provides dial information and directions for use.
	Waterbury	Connecticut	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 757
	A 24 inch diameter armillary with meridian, horizon, equatorial, tropic, Arctic and Antarctic rings. Equatorial ring is engraved with Roman hour numerals. The dial is supported on a narrow 4 foot tall granite pedestal. The pedestal includes a plaque with an EOT graph and is inscribed to indicate the dial is the Class Gift of 2010.
	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 756
	A 12 inch diameter cast bronze horizontal dial with hour lines, quarter-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. Dial face includes a central compass rose with cardinal directions; large characters inscribe RVYC and 1992. Dial sits atop a tapered mortared stone pedestal
	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 755
	A 12 inch diameter cast bronze horizontal dial with hour lines, quarter-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. Dial face includes a central compass rose with cardinal directions. The dial sits atop a cast decorative concrete pedestal. The dial is correctly designed for the location and is one of at least seven such dials in the Victoria area.
	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 754
	A 9 inch diameter cast bronze dial with hour and half-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. The dial face has a compass rose at the center with cardinal and ordinal directions. The casting is of poor quality and the gnomon, brazed in place, is bent and at the wrong angle. The sundial is a monument to the Point Hope Shipyard. Engraved on one side is the history of the shipyard, the oldest in British Columbia, renovated and reopened in 2007. The cast dial pedestal is marked, "This newel post was saved from the demolition of St. Mary's Hospital, Victoria.
	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 753
	A 12 inch diameter cast bronze horizontal dial with hour lines, quarter-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. Dial face includes a central compass rose with cardinal directions. The dial sits atop a cast concrete pedestal sculptured with curves, fronds and cherubs. However the dial may be misaligned from true North. The gnomon angle appears close to the dial's latitude (measured at 49.2°).
	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 752
	A bronze horizontal dial with hour lines, quarter-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. Dial face includes a central compass rose. The dial sits atop a carved cedar totem depicting an Orca killer whale. The totem is carved in the Coastal Salish tradition by Aubrey LaFortune, a member of the Cowichan Band of native Canadians.
	Stouffville	Ontario	Canada	Vertical Dial	Dial 751
	A 42 x 72 inch, 10 inch thick, 3300 pound black granite vertical dial on a 5 foot high steel tube pedestal. Gnomon is a 5/16-inch stainless steel shaft with a dowel-type nodus to mark solar declination. Dial shows EDST with longitude correction. Dial face includes hour and half-hour lines, and equinox and winter and summer declination lines. Dial center is the pivot of the compasses in the Masonic Square and Compass emblem, with oak leaves. Below the dial is a 12 x 72 inch oak plaque inscribed with dedication information and two brass plaques with dial information and EOT graph.
	Solvang	California	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 750
	A cast or wrought iron vertical dial about 3 foot square painted black, prominently mounted at the roof line of the Royal Copenhagen Inn. The dial face has hour lines, half-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. The dial in not quite gnomonically correct as the building declines a few degrees west of south and the gnomon appears to be at 45? rather than 34.5?. The dial is visible from Mission Road. An interesting wind vane is seen on the roof peak above the dial.
	Sidney	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 749
	A 10 inch diameter horizontal bronze dial with hour lines, quarter hour marks and Roman hour numerals. The dial face includes a central compass rose. The dial sits atop a fluted concrete pedestal. The dial is gnomonically correct, designed for latitude.
	Seattle	Washington	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 748
	A 35 foot diameter horizontal dial of concrete and stainless steel with an 8 foot gnomon. Hour marks and Arabic hour numerals are shown on the inner circle and outer ring. A meridian line has markers for solstices and equinoxes, for cardinal directions and magnetic bearings. The dial was constructed using material obtained from Boeing Surplus.
	Seattle	Washington	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 747
	A 20 inch diameter cast bronze horizontal dial atop a 30 inch high one-piece stone pedestal. The dial face has cast quarter-hour marks and Roman hour numerals. The dial, built in 1912, has been refurbished and relocated several times and has a new bronze gnomon. Prof. Woody Sullivan and Kurt Kiefer did the last restoration in 2002. Dial times are inaccurate 5-7 minutes.
	Seattle	Washington	USA	Cylindrical Dial	Dial 746
	A unique, 10 foot tall, 2 foot diameter (base) tapered cylinder dial similar to a traditional shepherd's dial except that the cylinder orientation is fixed and the gnomon is rotated about the dial axis by the user to align with the sun. Time is read from the vertical hour and date lines. The dial is fabricated from bronze plate and is hollow. Lines are formed by individually cut hour and date line segments welded on from inside the cylinder. A lever at hand height is moved to rotate the gnomon to face the sun, providing a vertical shadow. A slit in the gnomon tip provides a more accurate sun spot on the dial face. The cylinder is tapered top to bottom for aesthetics and to minimize the effect of solar altitude variation through the seasons.
	Seattle	Washington	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 745
	A 12 x 30 foot vertical dial on a brick wall that declines 0.5? west of south. The 5 foot stainless steel gnomon tip carries a sheet metal sculpture of an eagle, the school mascot. The hour lines are aluminum strips terminating in Arabic hour numerals. The dial face includes ceramic disks painted by school students and are placed so that the gnomon shadow falls on then on their birthday.
	Seattle	Washington	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 744
	A 10 x 18 foot vertical dial on a south-facing brick wall. The hour lines are stainless steel sheet and are formed to create shadow effects that change with the position of the sun. The stainless steel Arabic hour numerals are on disks that are held on the wall by magnets, allowing them to be placed for ST or DST. A stylized school emblem is placed at the base of the gnomon. A round, two-sided plaque in the wall below describes the use of the dial, designed by Mindy Cameron of Lehrman Cameron Studio.
	Saint John	New Brunswick	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 743
	A large horizontal dial whose cast metal gnomon is a sculpture commemorating the Canadian National Day of Mourning. The gnomon is supported by statues representing toiling laborers. The surrounding brick courtyard includes bricks marked with Roman hour numerals. The dial sculpture is identified as the Day of Mourning Monument and was dedicated on the Canadian National Day of Mourning, April 28, honoring those workers in Canada who have been killed, injured or disabled on the job.
	Pocatello	Idaho	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 742
	A south-facing vertical dial split into two sculptures separated by a walking path. The dial faces are vertical powder coated steel sculptures with cut hour lines. The gnomons are travertine limestone blocks with the top edges pointing to celestial north. The edges of the gnomon stones cast the shadow onto the vertical dial faces. One dial face shows the morning hours, the other shows the afternoon hours. The gnomon styles extend to both sides of each dial face allowing extended time and season use. This sculpture, "PASSAGE OF TIME," was commissioned by the City of Pocatello to represent Pocatello as the "Gate City," historically known as the gateway to the Snake River Plains. The meandering sidewalk path represents passage through both time and space.
	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 741
	An equatorial projection dial with a 12 inch diameter stainless steel equatorial ring incised with Arabic hour numerals that project onto a grooved central support shaft of Cipollino and Carrara marble set on a bluestone foundation. A hole near the top of the central marble shaft emits flowing water that runs down the central groove and is recirculated in the warm months. The sundial/fountain marble shaft is 7 inches wide, 36 inches high with a 24 by 55 inch wide base. The dial and nearby Cipollino marble bench rest on a 13-1/2 foot diameter foundation of bluestone pavers set on concrete. Direct sunlight on the dial is limited by two of the three nearby buildings. In summer with a high elevation sun, sunlight casts gnomon shadows mid-day and for a few hours in the afternoon. The sundial/fountain sculpture was commissioned by Society Hill Towers in honor of I. M. Pei, Architect of the Towers and was dedicated on the 40th anniversary of the Towers in 2003.
	Palos Verdes Estates	California	USA	Armillary Sphere	Dial 740
	A 1.5 meter diameter bronze armillary sphere atop a beige stone pedestal at the center of a 9 meter diameter pond or fountain. The Armillary includes meridian, equatorial and horizon rings as well as Arctic and Antarctic circles. The equatorial ring is perforated with Roman hour numerals and Zodiacal symbols. The central gnomon rod has a ball at the north end and an arrow tail at the south end.
	Ottawa	Ontario	Canada	Sun Alignment	Dial 739
	A memorial alignment dial that illuminates the headstone of the Unknown Soldier on Remembrance Day, November 11 at 11:00 AM, commemorating the end of World War I. Remembrance Day is celebrated on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of each year.
	Oak Bay	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 738
	A 10 inch square brass or bronze horizontal dial atop a 22 inch square concrete base with cross-shaped plinth 42 inches high. The natural patina developed by the corrosive sea air has reduced the contrast of the markings. Stylized Arabic hour numerals are engraved in circles. Engraved scrolls add interest but some confusion to the dial face. The dial face and gnomon are only one-eighth inch thick but remain intact.
	North Little Rock	Arkansas	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 737
	A cast bronze horizontal dial atop a concrete pedestal. The dial face includes hour lines, quarter hour marks and Roman hour numerals. The dial face includes inscribed (not in original casting) lines that indicate the sunrise and sunset times for the longest day (L-Day VI-21), shortest day (S-Day XII-21) and equinoxes (12-H Day IX-21).
	Langford	British Columbia	Canada	Horizontal Dial	Dial 736
	A cast bronze horizontal dial with thick bronze gnomon. Dial face shows hour lines and quarter-hour marks, and Roman hour numerals. Dial center includes a compass rose.
	Tucson	Arizona	USA	Globe or Hemispheric	Dial 735
	A fused silica glass spherical lens projects a solar image spot onto the inner surface of a spherical segment of glass with a frosted area inscribed with hour lines and Arabic hour numerals. Time is read from the bright spot of light on the frosted surface while standing under the dial. Dial is mounted atop a pipe pillar on the patio of the Visitor Center.
	Carlsbad	California	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 734
	A large vertical dial on an east-declining south stucco wall of an elevator tower in the parking lot of McClellan Airport. The gnomon, hour and declination lines and Arabic numerals are stainless steel. The dial design is flawed, incorrect for either a point-in-space nodus dial or a polar-inclined gnomon dial. The installed gnomon is horizontal but if intended to support only a nodus, the location is wrong; the nodus shadow is outside the lower declination line in the photos. The hour lines radiate from the gnomon base as for a polar-inclined gnomon; they should radiate from a point much higher if for a point-in-space nodus.
	Kalamazoo	Michigan	USA	Compound Dial	Dial 733
	A combination horizontal, vertical, polar and equatorial dial 4 x 5 x 6 foot tall made of drilled aluminum plate with rod gnomon. The vertical plate shows the EOT graph and depiction of Earth showing polar tilt, celestial equator and Earth equator using drilled holes. The bottom plate below the equatorial face includes a compass rose that also shows the direction of sunrise and sunset at the solstices. All dial faces are marked using Arabic numerals with hour and 15 minute marks. The Kalamazoo Nature Center is open most days and charges an admission fee.
	Atlantic Beach	Florida	USA	Polar Dial	Dial 732
	A 12 x 12 inch polar dial of printed plastic. Unlike the typical polar dial, this dial uses point-in-space or nodus gnomons. The dial face is aligned in the polar plane; separate face markings and gnomons show summer-to-winter and winter-to-summer hour and date lines corrected for EOT and longitude. Time and date are read from the shadow of only the tip end of each gnomon rod. The three foot high PVC dial support allows the face to be rotated about the polar axis; the face is pointed at the local meridian for ST and rotated 15? east to set for DST. The face has hour lines for 8 AM to 4 PM and date lines for each month. The hour and date lines were designed for the dial location, median solar declination and the equation of time over a leap year cycle, atmospheric refraction and shadow shortening due to the 90? included angle conical gnomon points. The dial is accurate within two minutes. Dial face is marked with location, coordinates and designer name. This dial is located within Fleet Landing, a gated retirement community. Please contact Russell Boyd, the dial owner/designer at 904-241-8544 to arrange visiting the dial.
	Asheville	North Carolina	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 731
	A 16 foot major axis analemmatic dial with stained concrete, hand painted date line. Hemlock branch hour posts were cut by Estate foresters and use iron numerals hand-forged by the Estate blacksmith.
	Stouffville	Ontario	Canada	Vertical Dial	Dial 730
	A 46 inch wide by 52 inch high south-facing vertical dial of high density urethane with a 10 mm diameter stainless steel gnomon. Dial face has hour lines with half-hour marks and Roman numerals. Hour lines are longitude corrected. A brass plaque containing the dedication, additional information about reading the dial and an equation of time table is mounted on the building wall below the dial. An informative booklet about church sundials is available in the church.
	Madison	Wisconsin	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 729
	An octagonal limestone horizontal dial with bronze gnomon. Hour lines are hand chiseled with no hour numerals. The noon line includes an inset bronze triangle. Viewing the dial within the garden requires an admission fee.
	Bloomington	Indiana	USA	Vertical Dial	Dial 728
	An approximately 4 foot square, limestone south-facing vertical dial with a bronze gnomon. Dial face has hour lines and half-hour marks with Arabic numerals. Tall trees shade the dial most of the day.
	Niceville	Florida	USA	Analemmatic Dial	Dial 727
	An interactive analemmatic dial with 6x3 meter major and minor ellipse axes and built of precast concrete, tiles and glass with Roman hour numerals. Dial face markings include Ante Meridiem, Post Meridiem, astronomical symbols for days of week and constellations of the zodiac, compass rose, Sun face, Ursa Major bear constellation with Big Dipper asterism, Polaris solar cell visible at night beneath the noon mark, artistic analemma and artist inscription. Inspired by the analemmatic dial "Keppel Henge" located at Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada, the dial was two years in design and construction, with financial support from Ms. Dotty Blacker of Valparaiso, Florida and the NWFSC Foundation. Dial accessories include 8 and 12 foot gnomon poles with leveling clinometers allowing the dial to be used with precision for demonstration and instruction. The dial is a focal point for geoscience instruction both in the classroom and the local community. The Science Department at NWFSC offers many courses in the geosciences that benefit from the dial, including Earth Science, Physical Science, Physical Geology, Oceanography, and Astronomy; supports baccalaureate programs in Elementary and Middle School Math & Science Education; and is frequent host to a local astronomy club.
	San Ramon	California	USA	Equatorial Dial	Dial 726
	This 5 x 5 x 6.5 foot stainless steel bow-string equatorial sundial is a precise heliochronometer with internal cam mechanism to correct for the Equation of Time. This exceptional dial is made of welded stainless steel sheet and weighs 330 pounds according to the designer Lee Palmer Stephenson. The dial face of the 60 inch diameter equatorial ring is marked with hour, half-hour, 15 minute, 5 minute and one minute lines and Arabic hour numerals showing PST and PDT.
	Cambridge	Massachusetts	USA	Polar Dial	Dial 725
	A small polar dial with Arabic numerals for EST and EDST
	Jamestown	Virginia	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 724
	A 15 inch octagonal bronze horizontal dial with a bronze gnomon. Dial face shows hour, half-hour, quarter-hour and 5-inute marks with Roman hour numerals. The gnomon is damaged and analysis shows the dial hour lines are laid out for approximately 45° latitude instead of the local 37° latitude. The dial is on a white granite pillar.
	Albuquerque	New Mexico	USA	Sun Alignment	Dial 723
	An 8x36 inch polar noon meridian dial of wood and steel pipe. The dial face is inclined at the latitude angle and the shadow-casting 36-inch gnomon pole is perpendicular to the dial face, pointing at the local meridian on the celestial equator. The gnomon pole shadow shows the declination of the sun, with the shadow extending below the gnomon in spring and summer, and above the gnomon in fall and winter. Short rods at the tip of the gnomon cast a cross-shaped shadow on the dial face, marking the date on the nail head analemma on the dial face. At local noon the gnomon shadow is vertical; the face and gnomon size are selected to allow the shadow to always fall on the dial face at noon throughout the year. On the equinoxes, the cross shadow bisects the gnomon base. This dial is on private property but may be seen from the public sidewalk. For closer inspection, the owner may be contacted.
	Kearney	Nebraska	USA	Horizontal Dial	Dial 722
	A 32 inch diameter bicolored Coconino sandstone horizontal dial with hour, half and quarter hour marks and Arabic hour numerals showing DST with longitude correction. The large noon gap is marked, High Noon. Dial face has carved time ribbon with inlayed brass balls on quarter hours. Gnomon sides show carved sunface and moonface. Dial is placed on a cast concrete pedestal approximately 20 inches high.