Rochester Bicentennial Sundial

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This fully-functional sundial was built to commemorate the bicentennial of the settlement of Rochester by the Graham family in 1817. It was designed by Franklin, Michigan, sculpture artist Russell Thayer, who chose corten steel for the twenty-foot gnomon at the center of the sundial. The gnomon is surrounded by twenty stones, all quarried in Michigan, which stand for the twenty decades of Rochester’s history and bear plaques noting the community’s historical milestones. The sundial was unveiled as part of Rochester's bicentennial observance and homecoming on August 12, 2017.

Images

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial, 2020

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial plaque, 2020

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial time capsule plaque, 2020

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1817-1827

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1827-1837

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1837-1847

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1847-1857

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1857-1867

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1867-1877

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1877-1887

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1887-1897

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1897-1907

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1907-1917

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1917-1927

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1927-1937

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1937-1947

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1947-1957

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1957-1967

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1967-1977

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1977-1987

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1987-1997

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 1997-2007

Rochester Bicentennial Sundial marker, decade 2007-2017

Backstory and Context

Author-Uploaded Audio

Listen to a narration of this entry's description by Deborah Larsen.

Text-to-speech Audio

The Rochester City Beautiful Commission and Rochester City Council commissioned this monument to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the settlement of Rochester. They selected Michigan sculpture artist Russell Thayer to design the sundial. Thayer wanted the 20-foot gnomon in the center of the sundial to pay homage to Rochester's industrial past, so he selected corten steel as the medium.

The bicentennial sundial stands on the Rochester Civic Center campus, at the south entrance to the Rochester Municipal Park. It is near the site where the James Graham family first stopped when they came to Rochester in 1817. It was unveiled to the public by Rochester Mayor Cathy Daldin during an August 2017 bicentennial celebration.

The bricks on the plaza surrounding the sundial were reclaimed from Main Street in Rochester during the historic 2012 reconstruction of the roadway. The bricks had originally been laid when the street was paved for the first time in 1916. Twenty stone blocks, each representing one decade of Rochester's history from 1817 to 2017, surround the sundial and feature plaques that list milestone events from the community's past. A weatherproof time capsule was laid beneath the sundial, filled with artifacts, books, and documents. The time capsule is designated for opening in 2117.

Sculpture artist Russell Thayer earned degrees in sculpture and design from the University of Michigan and the Royal College of Art in London. His public art installations may be found at Michigan State University and Ferris State University, as well as in the cities of Detroit and Birmingham.

Sources

"Time to Unveil the Bicentennial Monument Sundial," Rochester Media [RochesterMedia.com], July 23, 2017.

Almond, Mary Beth. "Rochester Remembers its Roots in Bicentennial," Rochester Post, August 15, 2017.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Deborah Larsen