The Davis Mountains is an excellent location for astronomical research because of the clear dry air and moderately high elevation.

The remote nature of the facility proved to be a significant challenge in transporting such a large mirror.

It was a very precarious journey for the Otto Struve Telescope's mirror to this remote part of Texas and up to the top of Mount Locke.

It is updated with modern imaging detectors allowing astronomers to conduct many types of research.

In 1949, G. Kuiper of Yerkes Observatory discovered a new moon of planet Neptune, named Nereid.