Gustav Lindenthal’s New York City Hell Gate Bridge ~1917

Captains steering nineteenth century heavy shipping-traffic remained vigilant when navigating the waterway of the 850-foot wide Hell Gate Sector of New York City’s East River, which is flanked by two Manhattan islands and land eastward in Queens, New York. Notoriously ferocious waters, unexpected currents, and huge rocks lurked below the turbulent surface. Yet this economically essential waterway provided major regional freight operations. …

The Piscataqua Bridge across the Great Bay of the Piscataqua River is located six miles west of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and was built in 1794 with a span of 244 feet. It was the longest span bridge in the United States when it opened, holding that record until Lewis Wernwag built his Colossus Bridge across the Schuylkill River north of Philadelphia in 1812 with a span of 340 feet. Timothy Palmer had built bridges across the Merrimack River in Massachusetts, and was a pioneer in long span wooden truss bridge design and construction when he was called to build the most difficult part of the Piscataqua Bridge. …

This is the first in a series of articles on the historic bridges of the United States. It will include those bridges the writer believes were the most significant structures since 1793 built in wood, iron and steel. Up to then, most bridges built in the country were wooden pile and stringer bridges built in much the same manner as Caesar did when crossing the Rhine centuries before. …

Simulation-Based Structural Analysis of Fort Sumter Considering Foundation Settlement

With the invention of mid-19^th century naval weaponry, coastal fortifications in the United States were rendered obsolete as they lost their functional use of defense. More than 100 coastal forts, now over a century old, are considered national heritage structures to be preserved for future generations. Many of these brick masonry forts have incurred structural damage during bombardments, and further accumulated damage due to the harsh environments in which they were constructed. …

Why it Almost Mattered

At the time of this writing, a vacant former bakery is standing for a few more days at the corner of Fifth Street North and Seventh Avenue North, just outside of the official boundary of the local and national historic Warehouse District of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The building is typical of others in the area: a one- to three-story utilitarian structure with little architectural ornamentation and several additions. …