Astronomer Lewis Swift at Mount Lowe Observatory (1897)

Astronomer Lewis Swift stands by the door of the Mount Lowe Observatory circa 1897. The cart in the foreground hauled supplies and even and occasional passenger. Thaddeus Lowe himself was an astronomer being interested in wind currents and held an interest in this observatory for several years after his losing the railway. When astronomer Lewis Swift became blind and retired in 1900, Edgar Lucien Larkin became the resident professional and later gave the job to Pacific Electric Railway photographer Charles Lawrence, who eventually worked out of an annex built on to the east side of the observatory, which served as his darkroom where he printed up thousands of souvenir Mount Lowe images as well as giving tours to guests of the telescope and astronomical equipment. 8″ by 5″ mounted cabinet photo from Hill Photographers, Pasadena.

Michael Patris Collection