Denison University
Originally founded as Granville College, Denison was later named after a local farmer named Denison afrter he donated a considerable sum to the College. Founded as a Baptist institution, Denison for many years enjoyed the support of John D. Rockefeller, who sat on the college's board of trustees until the institution mandated that all trustees be Ohio residents.
The picturesque campus is about 1,200 acres including a 500 acre biological reserve just east of campus. It is located about 30 miles east of Columbus. The campus is beautiful and exceptionally well-suited for its academic mission. It features a mixture of historic and contemporary buildings, and state-of-the-art science facilities.
Denison University is a selective, 4-year, private, residential liberal arts college. Denison has more than 48 majors, concentrations and programs of study. Denison has adopted a test optional admission policy. According to the 2008 USNews & World Report, Denison was ranked 52 in all Liberal Arts Colleges in America. There are 8 fraternities and 7 sororities.
Swasey Observatory
Construction began in 1909, and opened in 1910. It was a gift of Ambrose Swasey, one of Denison's trustees from 1897 to 1937 and the manufacturer of the telescope. The original architect was that designed the unique Vermont marble structure was J. Milton Dyer. In 1970 the interior was renovated and the outer dome was replaced.
Ambrose Swasey owned a Cleveland machine tool company that also specialized in building excellent telescopes, many of which are still in use today. Swasey's company also built the telescope used in Perkins Observatory in Delaware. While the observatory may seem like a museum, it is still a working classroom and observatory. The observatory hosts numerous public viewings throughout the year.
