James Lick
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 26.342 W 076° 25.851
18T E 378646 N 4477470
Atheist
Athiest
Waymark Code: WM9XE
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 04/04/2006
Views: 49
Marker Text:
The California financier and philanthropist, donor of the Lick Observatory, was born in Fredericksburg, Aug. 21, 1796. The Lick family monuments may be seen in the local cemetery.
Born, raised and educated in the Fredericksburg area. He moved to Balitimore and worked as a carpenter and an organ maker. He moved to New York City and started his own pianoforte company which failed. So off to Buenos Ayres for 10 year, another pianoforte adventure and when he returned he brought with pelts and other supplies which he sold for a large profit. He returned to South America with a stock of pianos. He moved to Peru for 11 years manufacturing and selling pianos. At age 51 he sold all his holdings and moved to San Francisco. This was the year before the gold rush, and he invested most of this money in land. He became a wealthy man. Being unmarried and having no children he superivsed the distribution of his wealth. He was an ATheist.
Lick gave money to the University of California to build a telescope. When built it was the largest in the world and cost $610,000 to build. (1879) From this telescope in 1892 Barnard discovered Jupiter's 5th satellite They also found 14 comets and photographed the Milky Way. He is also buried under the telescope. There is a brass plate stating, "Here lies the body of James Lick"!
He also gave money for a public bath house, 3 bronze statues for outside City Hall, a memorial for Sir Francis Scott Key and money to found the California School of Mechanical Art.
So, TO LOG YOUR FIND TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU AND THE SIGN!
Marker Name: James Lick
County: Lebanon
Date Dedicated: 03/01/1947
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: U.S. 22 near junction Pa. 343 just S of Fredericksburg
Category: Professions & Vocations
Website: Not listed
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