Selected Sundials of North America

This is a selected listing of sundials in the North American Sundial Society Registry. Click on any dial thumbnail picture or city name to display the full dial description with additional information and images.

 

Texas

 
Dallas Texas USA Horizontal Dial Dial 385
This is large horizontal dial with a 20-foot-long polar gnomon that rises obliquely from the center of a 34-foot-diameter circle. The hour lines are embedded in the terrazzo pavement showing hour marks and quarter hour ticks. Hour labels (standard time 6-7 and daylight-saving time 7-8) are etched into 12-inch diameter stainless steel plates, each tipped toward the dial's center and supported on a 6-inch-high bollard. The tick marks run further, extending from 5:30am to 7:15 standard time. Hour marks and labels are offset for site longitude, making the time correction between solar and civil time no more than +/- 15 minutes, depending on season. The stainless-steel gnomon has a rectangular cross section that tapers from 12 x 4 inches at the base to 4 x 4 inches at the upper end. The center of the gnomon's shadow (not the shadow's edge) indicates the time. The terrazzo circular plaza is slightly beveled (a squat cone) for proper runoff of rain. The cone's apex coincides with the base of the gnomon and is 10 inches higher than the circumference of the 34-foot circle. The layout of time lines takes this radially sloping surface into account. The terrazzo pavement also includes an embedded polar map of the world adjusted in longitude so that the longitude of Dallas with a star at the dial's location in Texas is due south of the gnomon.
 
 
Danvers Massachusetts USA Vertical Dial Dial 42
An east- declining vertical wood dial above the main doorway of the Rebecca Nurse House. Rebecca Nurse was a victim of the Salem witch trials in 1692. The House was restored in 1909 and it is believed this dial was added at that time; there is no evidence the house originally had a sundial.
 
 
Danville Vermont USA Vertical Dial Dial 879
A simple vertical dial created on the front brick wall of the high school. There are no hour lines, but large Roman numerals are placed from 10am to 5pm to delineate the hours using Daylight Saving Time (where the 1pm hour is on the vertical). The gnomon is a simple rod.
 
 
Davenport Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 973
This is a 40-foot diameter sundial made only from flowers. Hours are shown from 6am to 6pm. The gnomon is made of steel and wire mesh with sweet autumn clematis growing on it. The clematis vines are kept trimmed and tied up to keep the shadow from getting too big. The gardner commented, "If I were doing it over I would use a metal piece for the shadow finger." There is a steel frame in the ground to mark the outer edge and all the divisions of where to plant the plants inside the bed. The plants in the inner area of the sundial change from year to year – in 2019 it was two colors of marigolds. Alternanthera or Joseph’s Coat are used on the outer edge by the numbers. These flowers are sheared to keep them low and compact. The numbers are planted with green Alternanthera and surrounded by a band of red Alternanthera. These flower numbers are sheared with small electric grass shears and kept about 2 inches above the red band. Other plants in the sundial garden include large “elephant ears,” cactus-like agave, alyssum, ageratum and lime green and purple nicotiana. The purple nicotiana becomes fragrant after dark, providing an olfactory as well as a visual delight for visitors watching the lights play on the fountain.
 
 
Davis California USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 950
This colorful analemmatic dial is an opening of the garden path made of decomposed granite. The sundial is 18 feet wide in the E-W direction and just a bit more than 9 feet in the N-S direction. Tile hour marks go from 6am to 7pm, with an additional tile above the 12-noon saying "PST" (Pacific Standard Time). Since there is no longitude correction, the sundial actually shows local solar time. But a nearby plaque with the Equation of Time allows the user to determine true civil time. Bailey Points for showing the direction of sunrise and sunset have not yet been included. The central walkway is made of colorful tiles, with each tile representing one month that is clearly labeled.
 
 
Dawson Creek British Columbia Canada Analemmatic Dial Dial 929
An analemmatic dial 23 feet 7 inches wide consisting of a simple concrete slab with black painted marking. Shows solar time plus one hour (akin to Daylight Saving Time). Dial is in memory of a local artist and community activist Edna McPhail (1923 - 2008) who championed the development of the Peace Park in which the dial is located.
 
 
Dayton Ohio USA Horizontal Dial Dial 102
A circular granite dial about 2 feet (.75cm) in diameter. It has an ornate, very large triangular gnomon of brass decorated with flowers. The dial sits on a sculpted column with spreading base. Protected by brass railing that surrounds the dial. The dial was erected in 1896 to celebrate Dayton's centennial. The dial was moved from its former location on Monument Avenue (originally called Main Street) in front of Newcom Tavern and relocated during ceremonies marking the moving of Newcom Tavern to Carillon Park on May 1, 1965.
 
 
De Dedo Guam USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 480
This analemmatic dial approximately 10 x 20 feet set into concrete. At the low latitude of Guam, the gnomon standing spot extends outside to ellipse of hour markers. Between April and September the shadows are very short near the noon hour and are difficult to read.
 
 
Death Valley California USA Vertical Dial Dial 76
Prospector and con man Walter Scott convinced Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson to invest in his gold mine in the Death Valley area. The mine was a fraud, but Johnson began building his Spanish Revival Villa in 1922 that continued until the stock market crash of 1929. Martin de Dubovay was the architect, Mat Roy Thompson was the engineer and head of construction, and Charles Alexander MacNeilledge was the designer
 
 
Dedham Massachusetts USA Digital Dial Dial 1097
This is one of John Garret Thew's mass produced "digital sundials" patented on April 5, 1960. The dial casts a numeral onto the dial's central plate that accommodates beams of sunlight and shadow from winter to summer solstice. The numerals (corrected for the hour angle distortion) slowly move across the dial's plate and the hour is read at the meridian line. Perhaps a good selection for advanced technology at MIT to grace their garden, but it has been neglected in recent years. However, Thew was not the first to come up with this digital sundial. In June 1758 Monsieur De Lalande of the Royal Academy of Sciences in a letter to the editors of the Journal des Scavans described a dial by J.L. Bizot (1702-1781) in which, on an internal wall, an angel's hand is raised to point upward at numerals of light cast "by a half-ring of iron...which has small openings every 15 degrees in the form of a numeral..."
 
 
DeLand Illinois USA Pillar Dial Dial 360
Granite four-dialed pillar about 5 foot high, possibly dating from the mid 17th century. Purportedly found in 1650 in Tinturn, Monmouthshire, England, and consistent with the dial latitude of 52 N. Dial face is 18 x18 inches. Gnomons on both east and west sides are turned off its original declination. A gift from Robert H. Allerton. The dial is well-traveled, and was brought to the United States in 1890 by the John Wanamaker stores. The fascinating history of this dial can be found in NASS Compendium Vol. 6 No. 1, Dec., 1998.
 
 
Delaware Ohio USA Armillary Sphere Dial 595
A 24 inch diameter stainless steel armillary dial with equator, meridian and horizon rings. The armillary includes compass points and zodiacal symbols. The dial sits atop a 6 foot tall architectural sculpture of four two-columned arches also made of formed and welded stainless steel sheet with a random polished pattern creating dark and bright areas that change as the sun moves across the work. The armillary is held by fingers of a sculpted hand, representative of works by the designer, Alvin Sher, and symbolizing mankind, creativity, knowledge, peace and greeting as well as identity among many other human meanings. The dial sits atop a six foot tall stainless steel architectural sculpture with four pairs of columns with a supporting arch between each pair. The entire sculpture is made of textured and welded sheet up to 3/16 inch thick.
 
 
Delphos Ohio USA Horizontal Dial Dial 548
A horizontal dial on a stone block. Dedicated to Leslie C. Peltier, recognized as "World's greatest non-professional astronomer" by Harvard Observatory. Dial sits atop a stone block, possibly marble.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 672
A cast bronze round horizontal dial with 4 AM to 7 PM hour lines and Roman numerals. The gnomon has an unusual curved root, making it appear to be misplaced to the south on the dial face when it appears to actually be correctly placed. Dial sits on a marble pedestal
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Equatorial Dial Dial 24
Large Erickson equatorial monument dial. It consists of a disc of pink granite about 6 feet in diameter and 6 inches thick, tilted on edge to align with the earth's equator. The gnomon is a stainless steel rod approximately 3 inches in diameter, piercing the disc at 90 degrees. It supports the disc from below, and protrudes about 2-3 feet above the disc; far enough that it casts a shadow on the face of the disc all summer. Winter shadows fall on the back side of the dial, also engraved with hour lines.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Noon Mark or Meridian Dial Dial 958
Description, a 1-inch stainless steel line set in the granite pavement marks the location of the 105th meridian in front of Union Station. The meridian line marks the center of the time zone called Mountain Time, and is 7 time zones "earlier" the Greenwich. MT = UTC - 7. Throughout the Denver metro area, Kalamath Street is the road that most closely corresponds to the 105th meridian. The current 105th meridian would have been known as the 30th meridian of the United States in the 18th and 19th century.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Vertical Dial Dial 962
A massive vertical dial, declining 48.08 degrees south of east, occupying the upper portion of the Arraj US Courthouse. Hours are marked from 5 am to 3 pm with Arabic numerals. The hour lines are crossed by declination lines for summer solstice, equinox, and winter solstice.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 964
A 12 inch bronze horizontal dial marking quarter hours with Roman numerals.from 5 AM to 7 PM. The gnomon is about 1 1/2 inches wide and the hour lines are appropriately split at the noon marker. The dial sits on 3-foot stone plinth.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 965
This monumental dial has a 58 foot tall gnomon made of aluminum cladding on a steel frame sitting on a concrete base. The surrounding elliptical walkway has red sandstone lines marking the time from 6 am to 6 pm. Time may be slightly off as the time lines do not account for the change in height between the walkway and the dial base. The markers south of the 6 o'clock lines are added only to provide artistic balance and do not mark time.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Vertical Dial Dial 967
This monumental size vertical dial consumes much of the south side of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. The dial face is limestone and sandstone with disks standing out from the wall to mark the hours from 7am until 5pm. Two row of brass disks show the time: one circular set close to the gnomon for winter and another set at the circumference for summer. The size of the disks vary, growing in size from 7am to noon, then repeating the growing size from 1pm until 5pm. Roman numerals at 7, 12, and 5 show the hours.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Equatorial Dial Dial 972
Bronze equatorial dial marking hours with Arabic numerals from 4:00 am to 8:30 pm for summer and from 5:00 am to 7 pm in winter. Additional marks indicate time in 15 minute and 5 minute intervals. Noon gap to choose gnomon shadow side. Hour lines marked from leading edge of shadow. The dial may be rotated by a hand wheel at bottom of the dial to adjust for both the equation of time and daylight savings time.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Gnomonic or Projection Dial Dial 1010
This gnomonic sundial uses an oculus high above ground level to project sunlight through a large overhead disc made of yellow plexiglass with a hole in the center to provide a brighter spot of sunlight surrounded by a yellow ellipse to show date and time. The light projects onto a large gnomonic calendar in colored concrete designating the months and hour lines from 10am-2pm standard time. Summer hours are designated from 11am-3pm.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 286
A large horizontal 6 1/2 ft. x 4 ft. dial in bronze A child figure stands, casting a shadow on the sundial. Child's hands may have held a gnomon rod, now missing. There is a traditional gnomon fixed to the dial plate. Dial and figure are placed atop a granite pedestal.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Vertical Dial Dial 368
On the southwest side of the Emerson School Building (now an office building and historic landmark) is a large white stone vertical dial with a stone gnomon. The large stone dial is part of the original brick building erected in 1884. Local history holds that the original architect was somewhat staid and stuffy and only agreed to include the sundial "because of its educational value." The dial was restored when the building was refurbished. See "Sightings" in NASS Compendium Vol. 6 No. 4, Dec 1999.
 
 
Denver Colorado USA Horizontal Dial Dial 371
The horizontal stone dial face is about 45 inches across, and is raised eight inches above ground level. It is inscribed with hours from IV to VIII. The dial was created about 1974 in memory of Persis McMurtrie Owen, who designed the west herb garden of the Botanic Gardens in 1964. See NASS Compendium Vol. 6 No. 2, June 1998
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 483
A very large and striking horizontal dial 50 feet in diameter with a 15 foot tall metal gnomon. Dial has standard time marked in brass Roman numerals and daylight saving time in smaller circular brass discs with Arabic numerals. The 16 large granite markers radiating from the center are artistic effect only and to not mark time. This large monumental dial is surrounded by a knot-garden. The dial granite base is raised 2.5 feet.The knot-garden theme is continued on the upper, center level.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 484
A small 8-inch diameter dial of bronze with black background and highly polished Roman numbers and hour lines. An eight-point compass rose, equally well polished occupies the majority of the center. The gnomon is missing. The dial plate is set at an incorrect orientation. The dial sits on a 4-foot high fluted granite column.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 486
This large horizontal dial is approximately 6-foot square with a 4-foot gnomon. The dial face is done in two tones of marble. Time is indicated by radiating hour lines to nearly the dial's edge and graced with Roman numerals. The gnomon has an emblem of the masonic star on west side, and the masonic square and compass on the east side.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 106
This beautiful horizontal brass dial is 24 inches in diameter, cast onto a larger circle 28 inches in diameter. The dial has raised hour, half-hour, and 15-minute lines drawn in esthetic proportions from 5 am to 7pm. Roman numerals are on the outer rim. In the center to the left and right of the gnomon is a table for the Equation of Time in 15 day increments. The dial rests on four brass columns 20 inches high, which are mounted on a brass base 28 inches in diameter. The entire structure is centered on a concrete octagon 6 1/2 feet across.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 975
This is a 32-inch diameter horizontal dial made of stainless steel. Hour lines are engraved for every half hour and extend from summer to winter solstice based on the tip of the triangular gnomon. Hours are marked in Arabic numerals. Between the solstice limits are declination lines for the first of each month. Note that the inscribed latitude and longitude are slightly in error.
 
 
Des Moines Iowa USA Horizontal Dial Dial 976
This is an ornate 12-inch diameter bronze horizontal dial with a central sun underneath the gnomon. Surrounding the the sun is an 8-point compass rose. On the chapter ring the hours are embossed from 5am to 7pm in Roman numerals that face outward. Time is delineated every 10 minutes. The gnomon is simple but too long for the dial, extending 2 inches past the dial edge. The place where a motto might be placed is empty, awaiting a bronze insert.
 
 
Detroit Michigan USA Armillary Sphere Dial 88
A 6 foot diameter wrought iron armillary with equatorial and polar rings. Hour numerals are missing. Cast zodiacal signs are present in fair condition on exterior of equatorial ring. Dial is on a decaying brick circular pedestal at the center of a concrete and brick base. Rings are heavily marked with graffiti. The dial sits atop a brick and mortar pedestal in poor condition.
 
 
District of North Vancouver British Columbia Canad Analemmatic Dial Dial 926
This rather strange split analemmatic dial shows civil time. It has separate morning and afternoon dials with time marks for standard (blue) and daylight saving (red)time. Instead of the usual linear declination of dates made into a walkway on the meridian line, the split analemmatic dial has two analemmas, one for morning and one for afternoon with the yearly dates for standing on the analemma to correct solar time to civil time. As it turns out, the analemmas that are drawn are not "classic" analemmas but special curves where the position on each date is estimated as an average position to correct for all morning or afternoon hours. The only other such dial is at Longwood Gardens in PA. (NASS #328)
 
 
Dodge City Kansas USA Horizontal Dial Dial 39
Two horizontal dials side by side, one for Central Standard Time and one for Mountain Standard Time. The CST dial shows hour lines for 7 AM to 7 PM, the MST dial shows 6 AM through 6 PM. Corrected for longitude. Each dial is approximately 13 meters in diameter. In front of the dials is a large concrete plaque with the equation of time and analemma. The analemma is represented as summer on top and late months (Feb, Jul) on right. This is not the way it would be viewed in the traditional series of photos nor is it the way a shadow would be traced. The width is exaggerated, presumably to allow a better reading of the minutes of time. The paint is peeling badly.
 
 
Dover Massachusetts USA Horizontal Dial Dial 808
The horizontal dial is in the spiral shape of a Nautilus. The dial was originally built in the 1920's and located at Amelia Peabody's Sun House at 145 Powisset Stree in Dover, MA.
 
 
Dummerston Vermont USA Hours to Sunset Dial 366
This 4 x 8 foot vertical dial declines 8.4° west of south and displays "Italian Hours". Located on the southern gable of a hanger along a grass strip airport (fondly called the "Dummerston International"), the dial serves to tell pilots how many hours remain before sunset. The dial is painted board with vinyl lines, letters and numerals. A sign at the base explains how to read the dial. The dial was built by Mac Oglesby and Eliot Kimble. A smaller 2 x 2 foot vertical decliner is located on the western side of the hanger building as well. It too shows Italian hours.
 
 
Dundas Ontario Canada Vertical Dial Dial 697
A 38 inch diameter porcelain on steel vertical dial declining 14.73 west of east with a nodus on the gnomon using a 7/8-inch diameter brass ball. The dial face shows Arabic hour numerals, solstice and equinox seasonal lines and a solar noon mark at 1:19:51 PM. The dial is corrected for longitude but has no Equation of Time plaque. It is not know why the street was named Sundial Crescent but, living there, the owners wanted a sundial.
 
 
Durham North Carolina USA Noon Mark or Meridian Dial Dial 356
Called "Gnomon", this large sculpture consisting of two monoliths made of steel-reinforced concrete slabs laid nearly next to each other along one edge. This produces a thin slit between them,with both leaning against a third slab. If one could look down on this from an airplane, it appears as an arrowhead pointing south. At local noon, sunlight passing through the slit falls on the edge of the third slab.
 
 
East Hartland Connecticut USA Noon Mark or Meridian Dial Dial 429
This upright stone was originally a noon marker at Nathaniel Taggart's inn in colonial North Blandford, MA. The stone was moved by Taggart's granddaughter Polly Taggart Church to Harland, CT, where she lived following her marriage. In 1935 the stone was set up in the Hartland Cemetery, casting its noon day shadow onto a flat stone with an engraved meridian line.
 
 
East Lansing Michigan USA Analemmatic Dial Dial 384
This garden analemmatic dial uses plants to mark time with plants selected to demonstrate bio-rhythms by their daily opening and closing at different times. Four-o'clocks are planted at the 4 block. Magic evening primroses 'Tina James' encircle the area. Flowers open in 15 seconds to the sunlight, quite a spectacular sight! Also planted here are: Evening Primroses, Portulaca 'Sundial', Coreopsis 'Sunray', Morning Glory, Thyme, Four-O'clock, and Moonvine. Children cast their shadow to tell the time. Step between the blocks of the current month, raise your right hand, and your shadow tells the time. The analemmatic dial is set up for daylight saving time.
 
 
Edinburg Texas USA Obelisk or Vertical Gnomon Dial 478
A vertical gnomon 19.58 feet tall projects its shadow onto a modernistic courtyard. The courtyard has inlays showing the hour corrected for the equation of time, give a sinuous set of curves to the hour lines.
 
 
Edmonton Alberta Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 195
A horizontal dial of varnished wooden shaped as octagon, perhaps 24 in. across, 2 in. thick, with very thick wedge-shaped gnomon. Roman numerals carved at ends of hour lines. Dial sat atop a segment of tree trunk.
 
 
Edmonton Alberta Canada Horizontal Dial Dial 1067
This horizontal sundial has a steel gnomon and extended rod to cast shadows onto a large, circular dial plaza 18m in diameter. The plaza has inlaid bronze cardinal markers, hour line separations in the concrete, and bronze inlaid Roman numerals from 5AM to 10PM. Wild roses, the official flower of Alberta, are planted in the center of the plaza surrounding the gnomon. The gnomon itself is 5.85m long
 
 
El Cajon California USA Armillary Sphere Dial 214
Armillary dial about 3 ft. diameter designed by Don LeGrande. As of Christmas 1992, a stunning armillary sphere-type of sundial ... The framework of the dial is constructed of burnished stainless steel. ... The rod-like gnomon was destroyed by vandals many years ago, but the rest is in good shape.
 
 
Elberton Georgia USA Sun Alignment Dial 587
A calendrical dial consisting of six granite slabs and standing 19 feet high arranged as a center stone with four surrounding stones and a capstone. A channel through stone indicates the celestial pole and a horizontal slot indicates the annual travel of the sun. The stone faces are engraved with ten guidelines or principles in eight different languages.
 
 
Elburn Illinois USA Horizontal Dial Dial 547
A 30-inch diameter cast bronze dial with natural patina after more than 30 years exposure. Replaces a "garden" dial donated by Class of 1967 but destroyed by vandals. Dial is located on campus of private school but available for viewing during daylight hours.
 
 
Elizabethtown Pennsylvania USA Vertical Dial Dial 451
A 4x4 foot marble vertical dial declining 25° east of south with a copper gnomon, located above the center entrance of the Grand Lodge Hall and overlooking the formal garden of the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown. The dial face includes hour lines with half hour and ten minute marks and Roman numerals. An inscription, "ANNO DOMINI MCMXII" is located above the gnomon. The dial declines 25° east of south.
 
 
Elmira New York USA Sculpture/Artwork Dial 308
Plaster Sundial (sculpture)
 
 
Elmira New York USA Sun Alignment Dial 810
This solar alignment sculpture called the "Sun Triangle" is made of polished 1/8 inch stainless steel. Its leaning, 10 foot tall pedestal gives the mounted triangle a futuristic look of monumental size, where the tip of the triangle towers 34 feet above ground level. The selected triangle angles are described by the dial plaque, making solar alignments at noon on the equinoxes and summer/winter solstices. There are no line markings or hour indicators on the ground. However, the pedestal is bolted to a buried concrete block weighing approximately 16 tons.
 
 
Elmira New York USA Vertical Dial Dial 811
The white concrete dial face with surrounding dark red Arabic hour numbers is approximately 2 foot tall by 4 foot wide. The hour angles are clean grooves in the concrete. All are easily visible from ground level. Most striking is the steel gnomon painted bright yellow with an ornate central cut-out of a triangle symbolizing the trinity.