West Village in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Davisson-Germer Experiment

Photographed by Larry Gertner, May 1, 2019

1. The Davisson-Germer Experiment Marker

Inscription. At this site, the original location of Bell Telephone Laboratories, C.J. Davisson and L.H. Germer in 1927 preformed the first direct demonstration of the wave-like behavior of elementary particles, predicted by L. de Broglie in 1923. The Davisson-Germer experiment provided crucial empirical evidence for the validity of the then rapidly evolving theory of quantum mechanics. In those years and subsequently many important scientific and technological discoveries were made at the same laboratory.

Historic Physics Site, Register of Historic Sites
American Physical Society

Erected by American Physical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.

Location. 40° 44.215′ N, 74° 0.505′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in West Village. It is on Bethune Street near Washington Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 55 Bethune Street, New York NY 10014, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in New York City.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Westbeth Artists’ Housing (here, next to this marker); Mercier (Merce) Philip Cunningham (a few steps from this marker); Roy Lichtenstein (within shouting distance

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of this marker); Jane Street (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); 82 Jane Street (about 500 feet away); LGBTQ+ Memorial (about 600 feet away); James Baldwin (about 700 feet away); Abingdon Square Park (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.

More about this marker. The building is listed in the "AIA (American Institute of Architects) Guide to New York City, Fifth Edition".

Also see . . . The Davisson-Germer Experiment. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on May 2, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Larry Gertner, May 1, 2019

2. The Davisson-Germer Experiment Marker

and other markers at 55 Bethune Street.

55 Bethune Street entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, May 1, 2019

3. 55 Bethune Street entrance

A remnant of the High Line railway that run through the building.

Clinton Davisson & Lester Germer, 1927 image. Click for full size.

from Wikipedia, 1927

4. Clinton Davisson & Lester Germer, 1927

The former Bell Telephone Labratories building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Larry Gertner, March 27, 2015

5. The former Bell Telephone Labratories building

Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 508 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 2, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.