 Long Island's oldest public observatory, Custer Institute was founded in 1927 by Charles Wesley Elmer (co-founder of the Perkin-Elmer Optical Company), along with a group of fellow amateur-astronomers.The name was adopted to honor the hospitality of Mrs. Elmer, the Grand Niece of General George Armstrong Custer.In 1942, the Custer Institute was incorporated as a non-profit educational corporation in the State of New York.