Explore Historic Bridge Design through the Perspective of Modern Engineering Historic Bridges:Evaluation, Preservation, and Management provides both an admiring and a technical account of bridge engineering through an exploration of several remarkable examples. From ancient China to modern-day Minnesota, the book di

Like never before we are aware of the crucial place of bridges in our lives. The spans that warranted little notice are now at the forefront of public and political debate and we are reminded of the rich history-and the uncertain future-of bridging in Minnesota. Historian Denis P. Gardner documents and celebrates a wide range of the state’s rural and urban spans, telling the remarkable stories of their construction and impact on Minnesota life and culture. From Pratt trusses to bowstring arches, Wood, Concrete, Stone, and Steel describes nearly every bridge type found in Minnesota, including railroad spans, and features more than 225 illustrations of historical and extant bridges. Gardner details the development of engineering and construction innovations (complete with a guide to trusses) and traces the fascinating politics and personalities behind the task of creating and maintaining safe, and often beautiful, crossings. Through arresting photographs and lively narrative, Gardner makes a compelling argument for the value of preserving our bridges and the cultural heritage they carry and brings to life their importance in Minnesota’s past, present, and future. Denis P. Gardner is an award-winning historian who has documented properties for the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic American Engineering Record. He is the author of Minnesota Treasures: Stories behind the State’s Historic Places. Eric DeLony is former director of the Historic American Engineering Record.

Among the featured bridges are two of the longest covered bridges left in the United States, the Medora and Williams bridges; Kentucky's Bennett Mill Bridge, the only surviving Wheeler truss bridge; and the Stark Bridge in New Hampshire, which provides one of the most picturesque scenes in America.

Although fast-disappearing, Montana's historic bridges are an integral and often overlooked part of Montana's landscape. This book tells the stories of those bridges and how they shaped the development of the Treasure State from the early horse-and-buggy days to the car culture of the post-World War II era.

This book chronicles the development of metal truss and related bridges in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont from the 1860s to 1940: the various types and their inventors, historical changes in the highway and railroad networks that caused these bridges to be built, the rise of state bridge-building agencies, developments in the field of civil engineering, and preservation trends. While many notable metal bridges of the past are discussed in the context of these topics, the book's main focus is a detailed account of the remaining historic bridges.

Milam County, located in the heart of Central Texas, is home to 18 historic bridges that were constructed through the years to accommodate the growth of the county. One bridge, Worley Bridge, has been fully restored in a cooperative effort between Milam County and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT). TXDOT is an important partner in the preservation of these historic structures. Its excellent and informative glossary is included in this volume to assist the serious student of historic bridges. Memories of some bridges will be preserved in a bridge park, which is being constructed in Rockdale. Other bridges simply stand in mute testimony to the passing of time and the changing of human needs and habits. This book tells the story of these bridges and their important role in our history.