Pasadena in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Hameetman Center

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, November 22, 2020

1. Hameetman Center Marker

Inscription. For over a century, this site has been home to a series of campus hubs that have provided the Caltech community with a central gathering space. The first such hub was known as the Old Dorm. Built in 1910 as a dormitory for the Throop Polytechnic Institute, the Old Dorm was moved to Caltech's campus in 1915 and served as the Institute's only student residence for 15 years. In 1924, a student center was built next to the Old Dorm. Named "the Dugout,” its focal point was its unique fireplace, built with the proceeds from a fundraiser that offered engraved bricks for a dollar apiece. The fireplace was composed of 376 bricks bearing students' names, with another 22 engraved by clubs and other donors. In 1934, the Dugout was remodeled and renamed the Throop Club until it was demolished in 1960. A new building, named the Winnett Student Center, was funded by Pasadena resident P.G. Winnett, who was a Caltech trustee from 1939 to 1968. The Winnett Student Center was enlarged and renovated in 1998 before its demolition in 2017.

The Hameetman Center was funded with a lead contribution from Caltech alumnus and trustee Fred Hameetman (BS '62) and his wife, Joyce. It boasts a rehearsal hall for Caltech's music programs, which was funded with a gift from Steven Frautschi and his wife, Mie. Preserving the legacy of previous generations

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of the Caltech community, the center features the engraved bricks from the Dugout, as well as an analemmatic sundial - a 2008 gift from members of the Caltech Alumni Association.

Erected 2019.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education.

Location. 34° 8.227′ N, 118° 7.424′ W. Marker is in Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County. It is on Olive Walk, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pasadena CA 91125, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Throop Memorial Garden (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Karman Laboratory of Fluid Dynamics and Jet Propulsion (about 400 feet away); The First Known Antiparticle (about 700 feet away); Iris Garden (about 800 feet away); William Morris Davis, 1850-1930 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Beckman pH Meter

Hameetman Center and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, November 22, 2020

2. Hameetman Center and Marker

(approx. 0.2 miles away); Hale Solar Laboratory (approx. 0.3 miles away); Tournament Park (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pasadena.

More about this marker. The marker is mounted to the southeastern corner of the Hameetman Center, which is located on the north side of the Olive Walk on the Caltech Campus.

Also see . . . Campus Hubs—A Caltech History (Caltech Magazine, Fall 2017). (Submitted on November 24, 2020.)

Sundial Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, November 22, 2020

3. Sundial Plaque

Adjacent to the Hameetman Center marker is this plaque concerning the sundial mentioned on the historical marker.

Analemmatic Sundial image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, November 22, 2020

4. Analemmatic Sundial

As noted on the marker, this sundial is located in front of the center. Lacking the person-as-gnomon that is suggested on the plaque in Photo 3, this contributor could not tell what time it was from the sundial. (The timestamp on this photo indicates, however, that it was taken at 12:58 pm.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 24, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 474 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 24, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.