Looking west at Main Barn at centre; Chemistry Building, Administration Building, and other campus buildings also visible. College Drive runs at bottom left.

Looking north at University Hospital and Medical Building. College Drive in the foreground.

Looking north at Qu'Appelle Hall and Saskatchewan Hall in foreground; surrounding campus buildings in background.

Looking northeast at campus with the Bowl at centre with surrounding buildings; tennis courts at far left.

Aerial view looking northeast of the Observatory in winter. Construction of the Memorial Union Building at centre; Emmanuel College at right.

Bio/Historical Note: The Observatory was designed by Gentil J.K. Verbeke and constructed in two phases using local limestone from 1928-1930 for about $23,000. The R. J. Arrand Contracting Co. was contracted to build the Observatory Tower in 1928 for a cost of $6625. The firm completed the tower $353 under budget on 14 April 1929, for $6,272. On 20 June 1929 R. J. Arrand was again awarded a contract by the University, this time to build the small classroom wing of the Observatory for $15,640. Work on the classroom wing was completed on 23 January 1930 for $15,034.50. University funding for the construction of the building was supplemented by private donations. Along with the Field Husbandry Building, the Observatory would be among the last free-standing buildings constructed on campus until after World War II. A plaque with the names of many donors still hangs inside the dome of the observatory. Saskatoon residents will find many of the names highly recognizable even today. A sundial was added to the exterior of the Observatory during the 1940s. It reads:
I am a Shadow
So art thou
The observatory facilities are available for use by both university students and visitors to the campus. The telescopes and other scientific equipment are used by students during the laboratory component of their courses. University personnel regularly offer tours of the observatory to elementary and high school classes, youth groups and other community associations. The Observatory is staffed year-round on Saturday nights so that any visitor may view celestial objects through the telescope.

Looking northeast across campus; Varsity View homes on College Drive visible at right.

View looking northeast of campus. Road to President's Residence running along bottom of image; University Hospital at centre. Saskatchewan Research Council building under construction in background centre; University lands and Sutherland also in background.

View facing southeast with Arts Building and University Hospital in foreground; Chemistry Building, the Bowl and Administration Building at centre.

Looking northwest with Griffiths Stadium in foreground, campus buildings north of College Drive at centre of image. Construction of Arts Building in progress.

View looking northeast with University Hospital visible at bottom left of image. College Drive runs along the bottom at right; Sutherland visible at top.

Looking northwest with houses and College Drive in foreground. St. Andrew's College and University Hospital at centre; South Saskatchewan River in background.

Looking southeast with the Bowl and surrounding campus buildings at centre; prairie fields and Saskatoon residential districts in background.

Aerial view of foundations of Thorvaldson Addition being laid.

Bio/Historical Note: The Chemistry Building was enlarged with an addition and was renamed in honour of Dr. Thorbergur Thorvaldson, professor and dean of Chemistry from 1919-1959. The Thorvaldson Building opened on 6 June 1966. Architect John B. Parkin’s modern design continued with exterior stone cladding. The near windowless, stone three-storey addition provided classrooms, undergraduate and research laboratories, offices, a library and service facilities.

Looking northwest at a track meet underway at Griffiths Stadium; fields in foreground. The Bowl with surrounding buildings and University Hospital in background.

Looking northeast at University Hospital, Emmanuel College Residence and St. Thomas More buildings in foreground; Arts Building and the Bowl at centre. Thorvaldson addition of Chemistry Building under construction at centre. College Drive runs along at bottom right.