Kansas Citians once gazed at stars from a Swope Park observatory. What happened to it?

For this installment of “What’s Your KCQ?,” the joint project of the Kansas City Public Library and The Star, the Missouri Valley Special Collections staff tackles this reader question:

Where was the observatory that used to be in Swope Park?

Between 1965 and 1983, there was indeed an observatory in Swope Park just north of Camp Lake of the Woods. The structure was built by the Parks and Recreation Department and primarily operated by the Kansas City Astronomy Club (now known as the Astronomical Society of Kansas City). The 18-by-20-foot building featured a rolling roof made of green plastic and plywood, which covered and uncovered a 16-inch diameter telescope. Viewing parties, demonstrations and workshops were held regularly for the public as well as attendees of the park’s Camp Lake of the Woods and Camp Hope.

In 1983, the telescope was removed and the club moved to Powell Observatory in Louisburg, Kansas, where the nighttime skies were darker. A newspaper article from the time suggested the former observatory might be converted to a bird blind. But the Parks Department was not able to confirm if it was, in fact, repurposed.

The fate of the building is unclear. Today, that area hosts a Parks Department residence and a few small, older buildings. If the structure is still standing, it has been reconfigured and the green rolling roof is no more.

Have a question of your own? Email kcq@kcstar.com or visit kclibrary.org/kcq.