Dr Clyde Tombaugh and his family moved to Burdett, KS, my hometown, when he was 16. In February of 1930, Dr Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. He dedicated his life to studying the stars. In 1955, he helped found the Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
In 2001, the church dedicated this memorial window which is 8 feet tall and 18 feet wide. I contacted the church when I found that I would be traveling through Las Cruces a few days before Thanksgiving this year. The ladies at the church were very friendly, and graciously allowed me early access to the gallery to accommodate my travel plans. Walking into the gallery, I was stunned by the beauty of the window. It captured the morning light perfectly. The colors were amazing, and the artist, Arthur J. Tatkoski, crafted exquisite small details throughout the memorial. Additional information can be found on the Church’s webpage.
Here is my photograph of the window, along with closeups of each panel.
On July 15, 1982, a large cast metal historical marker, sponsored by the Lions Club of Burdett, was erected at a new roadside historical park beneath the Burdett watertower along K-156. Dr. Tombaugh was present at the ceremonies and afterwards signed autographs for purchasers of his book Out of the Darkness: The Planet Pluto.
I recently took the following photograph of the marker, and the second photograph I took in May of 2014, in the middle of the night.
I would like to thank the ladies at the church who allowed me to visit the gallery. The experience was wonderful.
Rob Graham
Graham Photography's Photographic blog 