home > for visitors > wilkesboro sundial
BARN QUILT SUNDIAL IN WILKESBORO
A working vertical was unveiled in December 2012. The quilt square is mounted on the Wilkesboro Police Department building in Downtown Wilkesboro just west of the Wilkes Heritage Museum and is part of the Wilkes County Barn Quilt Trail.
Amateur astronomer Bob Hampton worked out the mathematics and the gnomonic design so that it will be correct for its longitude and latitude. The eight-foot by eight-foot structure features two sets of numbers for telling time, standard time and daylight savings time. It features a gnomon or pointer that uses sunlight to tell the time of day and is accurate within five minutes. The exact time for the Sundial only takes place twice a year.
Two additional panels beside the dial will explain the trigonometry principles involved and how to read the sundial accurately.
The metal frame was welded by Junior Shelton and Arvil Royal. The background for the sundial, pictured left, will be a barn quilt square made by local quilter Joann Scorof. The design and colors of the quilt, complete with stitching, were transferred to a heavyweight piece of PVC plastic by employees at Best Image Signs and Graphics, which constructed the sign.
Thank you to our sponsors!
This project was made possible by the former Cultural Arts Council of Wilkes Inc. (currently Wilkes Art Gallery), Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority, the Duke Energy Foundation, and a Town of Wilkesboro’s former Historic Façade Improvement (FIP) Grant .