Oakland County observatory owner seeking future-focused successor
LAKE ANGELUS, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — The owner of the McMath-Hulbert Observatory says he never intended to own it this long, but now he is trying to sell it.
Current owner Jim Kinsler says the observatory in Lake Angelus is completely intact. It just needs some new people to come in and move it into the future.
Anyone who steps inside will feel like they're traveling back in time.
"The scientists knew it was important for everything to be here," Kinsler said.
The first tower was built in 1930, and two more towers followed soon after.
"This thing was growing by leaps and bounds. And the original three gentlemen, it just got beyond their capability to run it very quickly," Kinsler said.
That's why it was deeded to the University of Michigan.
"One of the really significant things they did here, they took this first motion pictures of solar flares," Kinsler said.
Scientists also created a device for the U.S. Navy to help them fight against German U-boats during World War II.
"They needed a very accurate bomb site to hit those, so they developed the mark 2223 bomb site here, and it had a big effect on the outcome of the war," Kinsler said.
Eventually the university ended operations.
Kinsler credits Ed Henry, the technical director for Detroit TV , for stepping in to save it.
"He contributed, over the years, $40,000 of his own money that he earned. He's the modern hero and I'm just a guy who came along in 1991 and picked it up and carried it forward," Kinsler said.
The observatory was home to the Discovery Program — a mentoring program for young people from underserved communities in the Pontiac area.
"I would love to hear from people that were here during the Discovery Program," Kinsler said.
Kinsler says big things are happening now and groups of people are coming in to help modernize the facility.
"I mean, we've got a to-do list of around 25 projects," he said. "Everything from just cleaning up, you know, just getting everything in better shape."
Kinsler says this observatory was the foundation for modern day astronomical research.
"You got to have a good foundation, or what you build on top is worthless," he said.
Anyone interested in buying the observatory can email Kinsler at Jim@kinsler.com.
