The Famous Astronomer Who Once Called Evansville Home
The Famous Astronomer Who Once Called Evansville Home
Did you know that a famous astronomer once called Evansville home? As an adult, George Willis Ritchey, (b. 1864) was an internationally recognized engineer and astronomer, but as an 11-year-old, he moved to Evansville with his family and lived here for two years.
Astronomer George Willis Ritchey lived here between 1876-1878 during a time when Evansville was the hub of a thriving furniture manufacturing industry. His father, James Ritchey, relocated the family to Evansville after the family’s furniture business in Pomeroy, Ohio, failed. Ritchey’s father, uncle and grandfather were each highly skilled cabinetmakers and after moving to Evansville all immediately found work at Evansville’s Armstrong Furniture Company. Members of his family worked here profitably for several years, easily paying off their collective debts. The young Ritchey finished grade school and began high school in Evansville, and two years after arriving, his family moved back to Ohio in 1878.
Ritchey’s interest in astronomy developed first as a high school student and later during his studies at the University of Cincinnati. A skilled craftsman like his father, uncle, and grandfather, by the time he reached his mid-twenties, Ritchey had already set up his own astronomical laboratory. There, he would construct working models of telescope mountings and mirror floatation devices of his own design. One of his later designs, the Ritchey-Chretien telescope, is an optical design which is widely used in large ground and space-based telescopes. According to the book, Pauper & Prince: Ritchey, Hale & Big American Telescopes, by Donald E. Osterbrock, “Ritchey’s work and ideas would completely change the science of astronomy.”
In addition to co-inventing an innovative new telescope design along with Henri Chrétien, Ritchey worked closely with famous American astronomer George Ellery Hale. He played a major role in designing the mountings and creating the mirrors of Hale’s telescopes on Mt. Wilson in California. He is the recipient of the Prix Jules Janssen, the highest award of the Société astronomique de France. Craters on the Moon and the planet Mars are named in his honor.
Mitch Luman
The Dorothy and George Eykamp Director of Science Experiences
Image: Mt Wilson Ritchey
Caption: George Willis Ritchey
Credit: Mt. Wilson Observatories
Image: Armstrong Furniture
Caption: At various times during the late 1800’s the Armstrong Furniture Company in Evansville employed George Willis Richey’s grandfather, father and uncle.
Image: Ritchey Telescope
Caption: Example of a Ritchey- Chrétien Telescope.
Image: 210 E Pennsylvania
Caption: Ritchey lived in a home (now an empty lot) at this location at 210 E Pennsylvania along with his mother, father (James), siblings, and uncle (George) in 1876.
Image: Directory 210
Caption: A portion of the Evansville City Directory in 1876
Image: 218 W Franklin
Caption: Ritchey’s grandfather (George) and uncle (George Jr) lived in a home at this location at 218 West Franklin in 1877.
Image: 507-907 Fulton
Caption: After James Ritchey moved his family to Cincinnati in 1879, Ritchey’s grandfather (George Sr) and uncle (George Jr) remained behind and lived in this home at 507 North Fulton Avenue. According to Thomas Lonnberg, Chief Curator and Curator of History at the Museum, street numbers shifted in Evansville during the early 1900’s and 907 Fulton became 507 North Fulton as a result.