Civil Engineering Works Photograph Collection

Item

Identifier: SC Photo-0020

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection was sorted into ten folders loosely arranged as to types of civil engineering structures collected together in a folder when a folder does not deal specifically with a particular structure. There is no specific chronological arrangement.

Dates

Creation: 1879-1984
Creation: Majority of material found within 1879-1984

Creator

Unknown (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection housed remotely. Users need to contact 24 hours in advance.

Conditions Governing Use

Collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

It is unknown who began the collection of photographs but Dr. Philip Metzger, former Special Collections curator, is credited with adding some of the photos to the collection. Perhaps the photographs at one time were used for instructional purposes in the civil engineering department at Lehigh. Most of the photos are of railroad bridges but among the photos included in the collection are: Brooklyn Bridge, Firth of Forth railroad bridge, James River, VA. lift bridge, Luten Design reinforced concrete arch bridge examples, Newburyport, MA. chain bridge, Niagara River Upper Steel Arch Bridge, Pecos High Bridge/Viaduct, Tay Railroad Bridge.

Extent

1.5 Linear Feet (1 box, 49 photographs of assorted civil engineering works including Whipple through truss railroad bridges, Pennsylvania through truss bridges, suspension bridges, cantilever bridges, reinforced concrete arch bridges and a buttress dam.) ; 1.5 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection of photographs illustrate various types of civil engineering works including the Whipple through truss railroad bridge, Pennsylvania through truss bridge, suspension bridges, cantilever bridges, reinforced concrete arch bridges and buttress dams. Among the bridge photographs are included the Brooklyn Bridge, the Firth of Forth Bridge, the Tay Bridge and Niagara Falls “Honeymoon” Bridge collapses, the Pecos River railroad trestle bridge and the “Luten Design” reinforced concrete bridges. The dates of the photographs range from late 19th to late 20th century.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged loosely according to format. The total amount of photographs were sorted into ten folders according to type of structure or specific structure. For example: a group of 19th century bridges located in Adams County, Ohio are filed together in a folder identified as Adams County bridges; two British railroad bridges are filed together in a folder; railroad trestle bridges are filed together, the Luten Design bridges black and white as well as colored are together and the dam photographs are filed together. The dates of these structures are from the late 19th century to the early 20th century but not in chronological order.

Other Finding Aids

See the Digital Bridges site under the Special Collections section of the Library web site.

Related Materials

Bridgehunter. Com

1988. Jackson, Donald C. Great American Bridges and Dams. The Preservation Press.

1922. Leonard, John William, Downs, Winfield Scott & Lewis, M.M. Who’s Who In Engineering, Vol. 1; Brooklyn, N.Y. John W. Leonard.

2010. Kelley, Stephen. Adams County. Images of America series, Arcadia Publishing, pp. 72-73.

1945. Modjeski & Masters. Report on Pecos River Bridge at High Bridge, Texas toTexas and New Orleans Railroad Company Houston, Texas. SCT Y0127.

1892. Phoenix Bridge Company. Pecos Viaduct on the line of the Southern Pacific Railway in Texas, designed, constructed and erected by Phoenix Bridge Company. Phoenixville, PA: Phoenix Bridge Company. Electronic book.