McCullough's legacy lies in the nearly six hundred bridges he designed and built in Oregon during the years between the two world wars, most notably the beautiful bridges along the Oregon Coast Highway that he called "jeweled clasps in a wonderful string of pearls." McCullough came to Oregon in 1916, drawn by the state's dire need for bridges and its drive to "lift its feet out of the winter's mud and summer's dust." After developing the engineering program at Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University), McCullough was named the state's bridge engineer. His long career with the State Highway Department left a legacy of bridge building in Oregon unequaled in the twentieth century.
Recognized by Engineering News-Record as one of the most important bridge engineers of the past 125 years, McCullough was an impassioned promoter of state-sponsored bridge building that incorporated engineering efficiency with economic practicality and aesthetic appeal. His bridges are rich in detail; the finest among them are embellished with arch crowns, Art Deco-inspired pylons and obelisks, Gothic piers, towering spires, and arched railing panels.
Illustrated with historic photographs and drawings, Robert Hadlow's definitive and highly readable biography of C. B. McCullough will delight bridge buffs, engineering enthusiasts, historians, and the many people who have admired and wondered about his beautiful bridges.
