Robert Millard, of Portland, Oregon, in the 1930s, had a beautiful small 
observatory in the west hills with a 4 inch Bausch & Lomb refractor. 
The observatory is no longer extant.  He knew the sky very well & found a 
nova in December through a hole in the clouds, a very handy ability in Oregon 
(he was one of two discovers). The pier for his 4 inch Bausch & Lomb 
refractor was a street lamp post.

AN ARTISTIC PRIVATE OBSERVATORY
By Robert E. Millard.
Popular Astronomy 38 (1930) 259-262.
  illustrations:    http://home.europa.com/~telscope/Millard-Obsy-PA-
May30.JPG    130kb
  http://home.europa.com/~telscope/Millard-4in-B-L.JPG      130kb

My chief reason for deciding to build an observatory to house my 4 inch 
Bausch & Lomb equatorial was an economic one.
Heretofore my use of the telescope was largely confined to the summer time 
with its quiet atmosphere and balmy weather; but the autumn, winter and 
spring winds, causing troublesome vibration, and the cold damp ground causing 
cold feet and strained conjugal relations, impressed upon me the need for a 
sheltered place from which to commune with the goddess Urania.
Although the thought uppermost in my mind was to get a full measure of 
efficiency from the excellent instrument, the appeal to my better half for 
her endorsement of the project was based upon hygienic grounds; and it was 
successful.
As my home is in a scenic part of the west side residential district (1000 
feet above the city) it was necessary to plan a building which would possess 
architectural beauty, while it was also desirable to keep the cost as low as 
good materials and workmanship would permit.
I placed the matter in the hands of Mr. J. N. Justus who designed and built 
the observatory along the lines I suggested, achieving a structure which is 
widely admired as a model of beauty and utility.
The house is octagonal in shape, of frame construction, and is supported by 
eight brick piers on concrete footings.
The outside walls are of celotex panels, which three coats of paint render 
impervious to the rain. The studding is covered inside by a wainscoting of 
selected fir, stained and varnished, and there is a substantial floor laid 
upon 2 x 6 inch joists built around the concrete telescope pier.
The cornice plate is of 2 x 12-inch stock cut octagonal on the outside and 
circular inside. A guard rail of 1/2 x 8-inch spruce in two-ply lamination is 
bent around the inside of the cornice plate to hold the dome in place, and a 
4-inch track of heavy galvanized iron is laid upon the cornice plate, over 
which and up to the top of the guard rail is laid a flashing or covering of 
lighter iron.
The curved rafters of two-ply laminated 1-inch fir for the dome were cut at 
the mill, as well as the lower ring or plate to which they are attached. The 
latter is of three-ply lamination to give it greater rigidity. The rafters 
are joined by two circular rows of braces extending around the dome.
The dome, which is covered with 16-ounce duck waterproofed and painted, is 
mounted on twelve ball-bearing roller-skate wheels, while eight more wheels 
act as thrust bearings to reduce friction against the guard rail. This 
valuable idea as well as that of using celotex for the walls, was obtained 
from the excellent article of Charles D. Higgs in the August-September, 1928, 
issue of Popular Astronomy.
The slit is twenty inches wide, and is carried only to the zenith, to 
simplify the construction of the type of shutter which we decided upon.
The latter is of galvanized iron, and is extremely simple, having the sides 
bent or crimped around the edges of the galvanized strap iron tracks upon 
which it slides up over the dome, operated by a rope and pulley from inside. 
At the top and bottom lateral strips of light angle iron are riveted for 
stiffening. The advantage of this type of shutter is that it is simpler, 
cheaper, more weather tight, and does not rattle in the wind. A little grease 
on the tracks is all that is needed to insure easy operation; and a further 
advantage is that it is not always necessary to open the slit all the way up.
Two street-car straps with white, sanitary shields are attached to the 
rafters, one at the slit and one opposite, by means of which a comfortable 
grip is obtained, and the dome is easily turned.
A seat and a writing desk, both of which can be folded up flat against the 
wall, comprise the furniture, while shelves, a book container and an eyepiece 
rack are built into the wall.
The inside diameter of the room is ten feet, and from the floor to top of the 
dome is eleven feet six inches.
The dome was built on the ground, and when all was readv, some of the 
neighbors came over and six of us lifted it into place. The event was one 
which the neighborhood had awaited with keen interest for two weeks, and was 
consummated with as much eclat as the launching of a ship.
All of the construction work was done by hired help except the painting which 
I did myself. The total cost was $375.00.
Portland, Oregon.
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