Samuel Piepont recommended this location to the government as a prime spot for an observatory following an expedition in the area.

In 1909, the site was utilized by Charles Greeley Abbot, the director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, to conduct spectroscopic observations of Mars, aiming to investigate the presence of water on the planet.

Other studies conducted at the site included observations of cosmic rays and nocturnal radiation.

Gustave F. Marsh, the builder of the summit trail, built the shelter with funding from the Smithsonian Institution, with assistance from the Lick Observatory.

This article about a property in Inyo County, California on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub.