Landmark American Bridges [Hardcover]

Eric Delony (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0821220365 | ISBN-13: 978-0821220368 | Publication Date: November 1993

From the earliest surviving stone bridges and romantic wooden covered bridges to the monumental Brooklyn and Golden Gate suspension spans, here is American grace and strength at its best. Landmark American Bridges is a visual feast documenting American progress and illustrating the history of bridge building, transportation, and engineering. Organized chronologically, Landmark American Bridges includes five sections: Turnpike, Canal, and Railroad Bridges of the pre-Civil War Era; Civil War Era Metal Truss Bridges; Era of the American Standard Bridge; Great River Crossings; and Modern Developments. The photographs have been selected from more than 900 bridges documented in the collection of the Historic American Engineering Record. Also included are a listing of historic bridges and a time line which highlights significant events in the evolution of world bridge building. Few structures define the American experience, landscape, and spirit as well as bridges. They symbolize pioneering, inventive entrepreneurship while giving definition to cities and character to the countryside. America's landmark bridges evoke a proud heritage of beauty, utility, and technological inspiration and foretell a future of accomplishment and engineering innovation.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The art of bridge building lies in the recognition of the beauty inherent in those structural forms that exploit the strength and special properties of a given material. Excellent examples of this very special form of architecture are in ample evidence in these two books. DeLony's survey of bridges constructed in the United States is accompanied by superb photographs and drawings from the collection of the Historic American Engineering Record. His broad chronology begins with early turnpike and canal bridges and concludes with the span over New York's Verrazano Narrows. While a more detailed history of American engineering technology would have been welcomed, this book provides a fine overview of the subject. If DeLony's book represents the past, the mongraph on Santiago Calatrava epitomizes the future. His work raises bridge design to fine sculpture in its efficiency of materials, economy of construction, and elegance of form. Well known in Europe, this innovative architect/engineer has had little exposure in the United States--until now. This handsomely designed book showcases over 30 of Calatrava's bridge designs. Unfortunately, the accompanying essays leave the reader wishing for more biographical information about this talented designer.
- H. Ward Jandl, National Park Service, Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch Pr (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821220365
• ISBN-13: 978-0821220368
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,795,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Famous to obscure bridges - good overview., April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Landmark American Bridges (Hardcover)

This book provides an excellent overview of American bridge design. I particularly enjoyed the attention paid to little-known but important rural bridges over smaller waterways - a thoughtful review of structures that are ingenius, pragmatic and artful solutions to the problem of getting from point A to point B. The photography is good but could be better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Industrial Archeologist, February 18, 2001

By 

CU Fan "mcrg00" (Summerville, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Landmark American Bridges (Hardcover)

Eric Delony has written a wonderful book. It is replete with the photos of our built heritage that few people will realize is valuable until it is long gone. This book is a continuation of Eric Delony's life-long dedication to Industrial Archeology -- a subject that has not received the interest that it deserves. Hopefully we will see more books from Eric on a variety of similar subjects in the future.