Portage Lake Observatory

This place is on private property. Listing for informational purposes only. Please do not visit without express permission from the land owner. The Portage Lake Observatory (PLO) was an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the University of Michigan (UM). It was located near the village of Dexter, Michigan (USA), about 20 kilometers (12 mi) northwest of Ann Arbor. Construction at the site began in 1948, and the facility was closed in 1975. After the telescopes were removed, control of the parcel and the three buildings reverted back to the Department of Forestry. There is no longer a Department of Forestry at the University of Michigan. Faculty members who were part of the Department of Forestry are now members of the School of Natural Resources and Environment. All three buildings still exist; in addition a classroom building was constructed. (This building is in the middle of the photograph above). Stinchfield woods was expanded somewhat since the original purchase including land purchased in 1949 (to bring the total to 780 acres) and 90 acres of land acquired in two separate purchases, the first in 1955-1956 and the second in 1964-1965. Neither purchase was used by the Astronomy Department. The shore of Base Line Lake was never used by the Astronomy Department (as was the original intent), that area is now the home of the University of Michigan Sailing Club.