Great American Bridges and Dams (Great American Places Series) [Paperback]

Donald C. Jackson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471143855 | ISBN-13: 978-0471143857 | Publication Date: June 1, 1988 | Edition: 1

Among the 330 feats of engineering genius documented here are bridges found all over the United States, from Brooklyn to the Golden Gate and landmark dams such as the Hoover, Grand Coulee, Norris and Shasta. The introduction presents an overview of bridge and dam history, while special sections outline preservation issues and demonstrate the significance of these structures in America's history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

pap. $16.95. ref Bridges and dams always stand out as key symbols of public works engineering; Daniel Schodek's Landmarks in American Civil Engineering (MIT Pr., 1987) identified many such prominent structures. Jackson's book is much wider in scope, documenting over 300 historic dams and bridges built primarily during the 19th and 20th centuries. More significantly, the book not only provides facts about the dates, dimensions, and operation of these structures, but also places them in the context of historical, technological, and regional socioeconomic development. Much more than a travel guide, this detailed reference source is recommended for academic and large public libraries. Sarojini Balachandran, Washington Univ. Lib., St. Louis, Mo.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Among the 330 feats of engineering genius documented here are bridges found all over the United States, from Brooklyn to the Golden Gate and landmark dams such as the Hoover, Grand Coulee, Norris and Shasta. The introduction presents an overview of bridge and dam history, while special sections outline preservation issues and demonstrate the significance of these structures in America's history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (June 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471143855
• ISBN-13: 978-0471143857
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,201,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Forget the book, use the web, December 5, 2007

By 

John S. Mclachlan (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great American Bridges and Dams (Great American Places Series) (Paperback)

I have to say this book was a great disappointment I was expecting lots of information and some great pictures.

What this book is can be classified more as a dictionary or an encyclopedia. it's a small book (5x10). The pictures are small and in black and white. And there's maybe a paragraph on each structure. Not much information at all - probably best used as a table reference.

This is book is from 1988 - back before the internet was a big thing. So not only are structures from the last 20 years not in here, you could probably use Google to find more information on any of the structures in here.

It was a good book in it's time, but really not worth your purchase today.

4.0 out of 5 stars More bridges please, April 11, 2008

By 

Howard S. Shubs (South Hadley, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Great American Bridges and Dams (Great American Places Series) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book for bridge and dam lovers. It manages to cover quite a bit, but could use an update, longer discussion of each project, and MORE BRIDGES! But then, you can't have too many interesting bridges in my experience.

The book covers bridges and dams coast-to-coast as they were in 1989, as well as some which were already gone as of that date. Recommended.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Love the dams -- great book. Pricey, July 15, 2010

By 

History Buff - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Great American Bridges and Dams (Great American Places Series) (Paperback)

I really liked this book, particularly the fact that it shows dams from every state, talks about the various styles of how dams are built, and has fantastic pictures. I find myself going back to it regularly to look something up, or just to enjoy seeing the various places it highlights. If you like dams and bridges, you'll enjoy having this in your collection. All that said, it's very pricy for the content. That's what brought the review down.