Holmdel Horn Antenna

On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Mayor Impreveduto announced that Holmdel Township has officially acquired the upper 35 acres of Crawford Hill (lots 6 and 6.01) and officially owns the historic horn antenna. The township committee also moved to introduce an ordinance to formally establish "Dr. Robert Wilson Park".

See link to Patch article here: https://patch.com/new-jersey/redbank/holmdel-now-owns-crawford-hill-historic-horn-antenna

And an Asbury Park Press article: https://www.app.com/story/news/history/2024/01/25/big-bang-theory-horn-antenna-holmdel-what-to-do-with-it/72325892007/

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Sign the online petition to preserve the Horn Antenna and the surrounding property:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-big-bang-antenna/

“It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988 because of its association with the research work of two radio astronomers, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson. In 1965 while using this antenna, Penzias and Wilson discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) that permeates the universe. This was one of the most important discoveries in physical cosmology since Edwin Hubble demonstrated in the 1920s that the universe was expanding. It provided the evidence that confirmed George Gamow's and Georges Lemaître's "Big Bang" theory of the creation of the universe. This helped change the science of cosmology, the study of the history of the universe, from a field for unlimited theoretical speculation into a discipline of direct observation. In 1978 Penzias and Wilson received the Nobel Prize for Physics for their discovery.” (quote from wikipedia.org).

On November 22 the Holmdel Township Committee passed a resolution directing the Holmdel Planning Board to investigate whether the property at 791 Holmdel Road should be reclassified as an area for redevelopment. This is the former Nokia site on Crawford Hill, which is also the site of the Horn Antenna that was used by our Holmdel Nobel Laureate Bob Wilson to confirm the Big Bang theory of how the universe began. Watch the video from minute 12:15 to 14:17. Here is the link https://fb.watch/h7dZVjxms7/

This video describes the Horn Antenna and why it is important https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2G01ehx68

News12 Reporter Brian Donohue (Positively New Jersey) Reports on Holmdel's Horn Antenna Jan. 13, 2023 https://youtu.be/y8INU9SbbvI

CILU’s letter to its members on the subject follows below (or click here to download the letter as a document).

The link to an online petition to preserve the Horn Antenna and the surrounding property:
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/save-big-bang-antenna/

See comments left by petition signers.

View a topographical map and aerial view of the Crawford Hill Area.

See the Holmdel Horn Antenna timeline.

Did you know that Holmdel is famous amongst scientists as the place where the Horn Antenna resides? In 1964, Bell Labs researchers Robert Wilson and Arno Penzias were using this massive, 20 ft. tall microwave antenna when they discovered cosmic microwave background radiation from beyond the Milky Way. This confirmed the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the universe. Both scientists won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1978 for this discovery.

The antenna, which sits atop Crawford Hill along Holmdel Road, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. Crawford Hill is the highest elevation in Monmouth County. The 43-acre property could be an excellent public park and historic site with walking/hiking trails, beautiful views of Raritan Bay and Manhattan, as well as the intact antenna on display.

At a recent meeting, the Holmdel Township Committee passed a resolution prior to an application being submitted, asking the Planning Board whether the Crawford Hill Horn Antenna site should be designated an area in need of redevelopment. This raises the question of whether the town is considering development of the site which could lead to removal or destruction of the irreplaceable historical horn.

CILU is partnering with Preserve Holmdel to protect the Horn Antenna, but we need your help. If you care about the preservation of this Holmdel jewel, whose legacy goes far beyond our town’s borders, contact the Mayor and Township Committee, asking them to protect both the historic antenna and the grounds on which it sits. Their contact information is: (email addresses are subject to change)

Mayor Rocco Impreveduto rimpreveduto@holmdeltownship.com

Deputy Mayor Brian Foster bfoster@holmdeltownship.com

Committeewoman Kim LaMountain klamountain@holmdeltownship.com

Committeeman DJ Luccarelli dluccarelli@holmdeltownship.com

Committeeman Joseph Romano jromano@holmdeltownship.com

Stay tuned for more information and action on this issue.

Julie Roth, presidents Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU)

Gerald Buffalino, President, Preserve Holmdel (PH)

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Here are links to articles and a video about Holmdel’s horn antenna, from sources:

Video by Dr. Sarbmeet Kamwal (4+ minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOsSN3Ixfs4

Sky and Telescope https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/holmdel-horn-which-heard-evidence-of-the-big-bang-is-at-risk/