From: pohare
To: Friends of the
Zeiss <zeissii@gmail.com>
Date:
Subject: Re:
[Friends-of-the-Zeiss] Buhl Planetarium Historic Designation Hearing
To the Honorable Mayor and Council of the City of
I am writing this
letter in the hopes that you will confer a historic
designation on the Buhl Planetarium building. The building means a lot to
me, and to all those young children who came through it to see the Tropical
Fish Show or the Christmastown Railroad, the Foucault Pendulum, or the
magnificent Zeiss Projector which projected stars on the dark ceiling of the
Theatre of the Stars. Our youths were spent in the Planetarium--whether
on
a school field trip that was unforgettable and made us think more about
space--or like me, getting my first job there, as a young secretary, typing
up the "sky shows" for the astronomers--I worked for Ronald
Sutherland and
the inimitable Arthur Draper. People thronged to the Planetarium in the 50's
and 60's because of our interest in space. I also got to see the sun
spots
and listen to the progress of the first man in space...we felt part of our
space program. How I loved Buhl Planetarium! And still do.
Another reason to save the
Old Allegheny, though it wasn't part of it, and came along after Old
Allegheny had been annexed by the City of
intersection of
of the 1960's. I was born not far away in Allegheny General Hospital,
went
to School in Cowley School and then to St. Peter's, and eventually to St.
Peter High School, just behind the grade school. I could see the
beautiful
post office from my schoolroom, and to me it was a post office. I could also
see the Buhl Planetarium, and listen to the
Carnegie Library. There had also been a
Buhl Planetarium, and of course R.I.P., the North Side Market House.
There
are so many things that are left of
someone cared. If I could have my way, the Carnegie Library would
be a
full scale Library again, with the clocks fixed and the chimes ringing.
Buhl Planetarium would give sky shows and her Zeiss Projector would be in
place. The post office would return to being a post office again.
And
maybe a park might be planted where the old one was once. But that's just
a
dream.
Today, I'm asking for your indulgence in having the beautiful Buhl
Planetarium building designated a historic building in my lifetime. She
deserves that much.
Sincerely,
Patricia M. O'Hare