Tennis Courts in the South Yard From 1915 to 1935, there was a tennis court behind the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/52">Smithsonian Institution Castle</a>, next to the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/465">Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory</a> in the South Yard. The court was created for the Smithsonian's tennis team, which played in intramural as well as inter-departmental matches against teams from other federal agencies. This image shows Loyal B. Aldrich (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory employee), and Astrophysicist Charles Greeley Abbot (Fifth Secretary of the Smithsonian) playing tennis. Smithsonian Institution Archives. <a href="http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_sic_9156">View original</a>. 1915 (constructed) 1935 (converted into a parking lot) <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1890-1919">1890-1919</a> <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920-1949">1920-1949</a>