[4] It was nominated for being one of the nation's few intact 19th-century observatories (complete with a large collection of vintage scientific equipment); and for its critical timekeeping service, its association with scientific literature (founder William W. Payne also founded the journal Popular Astronomy), its fine Romanesque Revival architecture, and continuous use as a teaching facility.

William W. Payne, one of Carleton's original professors, taught mathematics and natural philosophy, and established a course in astronomy during his first year at the college.

The course grew into a program, and Carleton's president and board of trustees agreed to construct a small astronomical observatory on campus.

Though small, the observatory housed instruments of the highest quality, including an 81⁄4-inch refractor by Alvan Clark & Sons and a 3-inch (7.6 cm) Fauth transit circle.

[citation needed] In 1886 the college purchased a brand new meridian circle with a gift of $5,000 from James J. Hill, whose railroads benefitted from Carleton's time service.

Railroad companies in the Northwest thought that the signal coming from Carleton was more accurate than the one transmitted by the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.

[citation needed] The collection of meteorites on display in Goodsell was given to the college by the meteoriticist Harvey H. Nininger as payment-in-kind for his daughter's tuition in 1942.