James Lick Rests Beneath Telescope

The first permanently staffed mountaintop observatory in the world was Lick Observatory, completed in 1888 using a $700,000 bequest from James Lick, once California's wealthiest man. The observatory was given to the University of California and housed the world's largest refracting telescope at the time. In 1887, Lick's body was reburied beneath the future telescope site, and his will stipulated that fresh flowers be placed on his grave "always."

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