Visit Us

The Williams Observatory is open to the community on the fourth Thursday of the month except for the months of November and December when it will be the third Thursday due to holidays. The observatory will be open in conjunction with the meeting of the Cleveland County Astronomical Society. The public is welcome and after the meeting which includes special programs or lectures, telescopes will be available for public use.

Directions

From the North via Charlotte:

Follow I-85 South and take exit 10B to Hwy 74 West to Shelby. Continue on Hwy 74 approximately 17.5 miles. Once on the West side of Shelby, you will see a white GWU Logo sign directing you where to turn to come to Gardner-Webb University. You will turn left onto Old Boiling Springs Road. Continue to stop sign and take a right onto Hwy 150. Follow into Boiling Springs, N.C.Arriving in Boiling Springs, NC, head south on NC-150 (S. Main St.). Just past the Hardees turn west (right) on Stadium Drive. The observatory is on the south side of Stadium Drive past the tennis courts.

From the South:

Take I-85 North to Gaffney, S.C. Take exit 92 off of I-85N. Turn left at the stoplight at the end of the exit. Continue over the I-85 bridge through one stoplight at the top of the bridge. Go to the next stoplight at the bottom of the bridge. At this light you will take a right onto Wilcox Avenue (at Newark One Electronics Plant). Continue on Wilcox Avenue to a four-way stop. Take a left onto Hwy 150 (you will see a sign direction you to Boiling Springs, NC). Follow Hwy 150 into Boiling Springs - approx. 12 miles to GWU! Arriving in Boiling Springs, N.C., continue north on NC-150 (S. Main St.). Just before the Hardees turn west (leftt) on Stadium Drive. The observatory is on the south side of Stadium Drive past the tennis courts.

From the West:

Take I-40 to I-26 East to Hwy 74 East toward Rutherfordton (Exit 67). Merge onto Hwy 74 and continue for approx. 32 miles until you see a small green sign for Gardner-Webb University on the right side of the road. Turn right onto McBrayer Homestead Road. Stay on this road until you come into Boiling Springs, N.C.Arriving in Boiling Springs, NC, head south on NC-150 (S. Main St.). Just past the Hardees turn west (right) on Stadium Drive. The observatory is on the south side of Stadium Drive past the tennis courts.