www.bridgemeister.comList of References
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This is not intended to be a thorough list of bridge references. I've assigned a short abbreviation to each reference. The abbreviations are used in the inventory. Click here to sort by abbreviation.

"A Century Old, The Wonderful Brooklyn Bridge" National Geographic May 1983.
(NG198305)
"A Significant Record." Engineering News-Record April 11, 1929.
(ENR19290411a)
  • Editorial calling for research into Mount Hope Bridge wire breakage reasons.
"Advancing Needs." Engineering News-Record August 11, 1927.
(ENR19270811b)
  • Editorial calling for bridges to be designed for longer-term needs using the Hudson River Bridge as an example.
"An Eyebar Suspension Span for the Ohio River." Engineering News-Record June 20, 1929.
(ENR19290620a)
  • A review of construction of the ill-fated Point Pleasant (Silver) Bridge.
"Belt Transport at Hudson River Anchorage." Engineering News-Record April 11, 1929.
(ENR19290411c)
"Design of 3,500-ft Suspension Bridge Across Hudson River." Engineering News-Record August 11, 1927.
(ENR19270811a)
  • Complete with one large foldout plate.
"Erection of the Quebec Bridge." Scientific American September 26, 1906.
(SA19060926)
  • Article with several large photographs detailing the construction progress of the ill-fated first Quebec cantilever.
"Eyebars for Cables." Engineering News-Record June 20, 1929.
(ENR19290620b)
  • Editorial.
"Hassard's Suspension Bridge." Spirit Of The Times August 9, 1845.
(SP18450809)
  • Article providing details of Hassard's truss system.
"Long Span Bridges" Scientific American Supplement January 6, 1900.
(SA19000106)
  • Six-page article with fantastic engravings of several bridges including four proposals for Hudson River crossings (Lindenthal's braced-chain, two enormous cantilevers, and a more traditional suspension bridge).
"McPhaul Bridge Marks 75th Anniversary." The Sun (Yuma, Arizona) December 17, 2004.
(YS20041217)
"Renewal Of Niagara Suspension Bridge." Scientific American July 16, 1881.
(SA18810716)
  • Article describing L. L. Buck's efforts to refurbish Roebling's railroad suspension bridge.
"Storm-damaged Bridge Closed." Honolulu Advertiser January 14, 2005.
(HA20050114)
"Suspension Truss Bridge." Scientific American June 8, 1872.
(SA18720608)
  • Article detailing "Diedrich's Suspension Truss Bridge" which appears to be just a slight variation on Bollman's truss. The article does not mention any bridges constructed using Diedrich's method.
"Technical Aspects of Cable Wire Breakage on Mount Hope Bridge." Engineering News-Record April 11, 1929.
(ENR19290411b)
"The Budapest and Manhattan Suspension Bridges." Scientific American September 9, 1905.
(SA19050909)
  • Article with fantastic full-page photograph of the "new suspension bridge" in Budapest.
"The Great Suspension Bridges Of The United States." Scientific American May 31, 1879.
(SA18790531)
  • Essentially a "Roebling showcase", as it only pictures/discusses Roebling-designed bridges.
"The New Bridge Over The Hudson River At New York." Scientific American May 2, 1896.
(SA18960502)
  • Article describing a proposal for a 3254-foot suspension railroad bridge crossing the Hudson near 58th Street. The bridge would have had 12 main cables, each 23" in diameter.
Adams, Julius W."The New Bridge Over the Kentucky River on the Line of the Louisville and Lexington Railway." The Engineer. June 5, 1857. Vol. 3.
(ENG18570605)
Adilardi, Alessandro, Salvatore Giacomo Morano, and Paolo Spinelli. Reconstruction of the Oldest Cable Wire Suspension Bridge in Italy "Leopoldus II" Proceedings of the First International Congress on Construction History, 20-24 January, 2003. Madrid, Spain. January, 2003.
(RLE)
Alex, William. Calvert Vaux, Architect and Planner. 1994.
(CVA)
Allen, Richard Sanders. Old North Country Bridges: An Album of Historic Spans of Wood, Iron and Wire in Northern New York State. 1983.
(ONC)
Arcila, Martha Torres. Bridges. 2002.
(BAR)
Aubele, Michael. "Lights to be Added to Hyde Park-Leechburg Foot Bridge." Valley News Dispatch January 16, 2005.
(VND20050116)
Axline, Jon. Conveniences Sorely Needed: Montana's Historic Highway Bridges 1860-1956. 2005.
(CSN)
Beckett, Derrick. Great Buildings Of The World -- Bridges. 1969.
(BDB)
Bennett, David. The Creation Of Bridges. 1999.
(COB)
  • Big fact-filled and photo-filled history of bridges. Heavy focus on the actual construction of bridges. Similar to David Brown's "Bridges". Several large foldout photos sometimes approaching wingspan of Judith Dupre's "Bridges".
Billington, David P. Robert Maillart's Bridges: The Art Of Engineering. 1979.
(RMB)
Billington, David P. Robert Maillart and the Art of Reinforced Concrete. 1989.
(RMA)
Black, Archibald. The Story of Bridges. 1936.
(SOB)
Boller, Alfred P. "Williamsport Suspension Bridge." Journal Of The Franklin Institute, Civil Engineering. April 1866.
(JFI186604)
  • Boller describes his recently (December, 1865) completed suspension bridge across the Susquehanna River.
Bonatz, Paul, and Fritz Leonhardt. Brücken. 1956.
(BRU)
  • Not the famous "Brücken" for which Leonhardt is better known. See BFL.
Bormann, Henry B. Bridges. 1934.
(BOR)
Boughton, W.H."The Monongahela River Suspension Bridge at Morgantown, W. VA." Engineering News September 18, 1907.
(EN19070918)
Bressey, C.H., and John Buchan. British Bridges - An Illustrated Technical And Historical Record. 1933.
(BRB)
  • Fabulous volume with photographs of more than three hundred British bridges.
Brody, Jeff."Indiana Bridge at center of preservation controversy." The State Journal Register (Springfield, IL) September 26, 1988.
(SJR19880926)
  • Newspaper article detailing the ongoing controversy over the demolition of D.B. Steinman's Sullivan-Hutsonville Wabash River bridge.
Brown, David. Bridges. 1993.
(BBR)
  • Good mix of photographs and history.
Browne, Lionel. Bridges: Masterpieces of Architecture. 1996.
(BMA)
  • Photographs with some historical information.
Bryant, Lorinda Munson. The Children's Book of Celebrated Bridges. 1925.
(MUN)
Buck, Leffert L. Report on the Renewal of Niagara Suspension Bridge. 1880.
(NSB)
Burr, William H., and Myron S. Falk. Design and Construction of Metallic Bridges. 1905.
(DCM)
  • Textbook treatment of bridge construction with heavy emphasis on truss and swing bridges.
Caplinger, Michael W. Bridges Over Time - A Technological Context for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Main Stem at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. 1997.
(BOT)
  • Everything you ever wanted to know about the bridges at Harpers Ferry from the 18th century through the 20th.
Cassady, Stephen. Spanning The Gate. The Golden Gate Bridge. 1986.
(SPG)
Chaplin, N. and Kolesova, O.S. With Iron Tracings Richly Wrought... 1970.
(WIT)
  • Architectural survey of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). In Russian and English.
Chase, Susan Mulchahey. The Upstream Bridges. Friends of Wilmington Parks Newsletter Spring 1999.
(FOWP1999S)
  • Contains information about the Swinging Bridges in Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware
Cherveny, Tom. "Granite Falls Weights Future of Pedestrian Bridge Linking East and West." West Central Tribune November 25, 2005.
(WCT20051125)
Cloutte, Bruce. Where Water Meets Land: Historic Movable Bridges of Connecticut. 2004.
(WML)
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Historic Highway Bridges In Pennsylvania. 1986.
(HHP)
  • This was the second most influential book in my budding interest in bridges (Plowden's "Bridges" was the most influential).
Concrete Publications Limited. Road Bridges In Great Britain. 1939.
(RBGB)
Conger, Roger N. The Waco Suspension Bridge - "First Across and Still Across.". 1992.
(WSB)
Cooper, James L. Iron Monuments to Distant Posterity - Indiana's Metal Bridges, 1870-1930. 1987.
(IMB)
Corbett, Scott. Bridges. 1978.
(COR)
Cortright, Robert S. Bridging the World. 2003.
(BC3)
Cortright, Robert S. Bridging: Discovering the Beauty of Bridges. 1998.
(BC2)
  • Wonderful follow-up to his 1994 "Bridging". Hundreds of photographs of bridges from around the world.
Cortright, Robert S. Bridging. 1994.
(BCO)
  • Almost entirely photographs. All color. Emphasis on Pacific Northwest.
Costello, Mary Charlotte Aubry. Climbing the Mississippi River Bridge By Bridge (Volume One). 1995.
(CMR)
Cotte, Michel. The Tournon-Tain Suspension Bridge: A Case Study in Technology Transfer and Innovation (1821-1825). Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(TTSB)
Cuddy, Michael. Rehabilitation of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(RWS)
Dale, Frank T. Bridges over the Delaware River. 2003.
(BDR)
Davis, Hon. Win. J. An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. 1890.
(IHS)
  • Pages 390-391. Describes purchase of suspension bridge at Folsom, California by Christian L. Ecklon (a local butcher) from "Kinsey & Whitely".
de Maré, Eric. The Bridges Of Britain. 1954.
(BEM)
  • Mix of photographs and brief historical information.
DeLony, Eric. Landmark American Bridges. 1992.
(LAB)
  • Focuses on historically significant American bridges.
D'Eon, B.G.F. The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge. 1954.
(ALM)
Department of Army Headquarters. Cableways, Tramways And Suspension Bridges. 1964.
(CTS)
  • Department of the Army technical manual detailing construction of structures for military use.
Department of Public Works City of New York. Brooklyn Bridge Technical Survey Final Report. 1945.
(BBTS)
Department of War. List Of Bridges Over The Navigable Waters Of The United States - 1927. 1927.
(LBN)
Dillon, Richard, Thomas Moulin, and Don DeNevi. High Steel - Building the Bridges Across San Francisco Bay. 1979.
(HST)
Dupre, Judith. Bridges. 1997.
(BDU)
Fairhurst, William A. The Tay Road Bridge. 1966.
(TRB)
Fluhr, George J. Shohola, History of a Township. 1972.
(SHO)
Fornes, Mike. Images of America: Mackinac Bridge. 2007.
(MACB)
Forth Road Bridge Joint Board. The Forth Road Bridge - The Official Story. 196?.
(FRB)
Fowler, Charles Evan. Ideals Of Engineering Architecture. 1929.
(IEA)
  • This copy appears to have actually been signed by Mr. Fowler. Fowler certainly had much to say about bridges and many other texts quote him. He did design several actual bridges, but he is perhaps best known for several proposed large suspension bridges
Frankland, F.H. Suspension Bridges of Short Span. 1934.
(SSS)
Gasparini, Dario A., Justin M. Spivey, Stephen G. Buonopane, and Thomas E. Boothby. Stiffened Suspension Bridges. Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(SSB)
Gies, Joseph. Bridges and Men. 1963.
(BAM)
Graf, Bernhard. Bridges That Changed The World. 2002.
(CTW)
Hadlow, Robert W. Elegant Arches, Soaring Spans: C.B. McCullough, Oregon's Master Bridge Builder. 2001.
(CBM)
Hallidie, Andrew S. "Improvements In The Construction Of Suspension Bridges" Great Britain Patent no. 994 [1867]. April 3, 1867.
(PAH994)
  • Hallidie states the nature of this invention is primarily "for the purpose of obtaining a maximum rigidity in the roadway and general structure."
Haupt, Herman. General Theory of Bridge Construction. 1851.
(GTBS)
  • This is a wonderful mid-nineteenth century snapshot of bridge building. It provides wonderful descriptions of contemporary theories and bridges. In typical 19th century fashion, the entire title of the book is General Theory of Bridge Construction containing Demonstrations of the Principles of the Art and Their Application To Practice; furnishing the means of Calculating the Strains Upon the Chords, Ties, Braces, Counter-Braces, and Other Parts of a Bridge or Frame of any Description. With Practical Illustrations.
Hayden, Martin. The Book of Bridges. 1976.
(MHA)
Hazel, Robert. The Day The Ship Knocked The Bridge Down. 2000.
(CCM)
  • Recollections of the destruction of the Chesapeake City, MD lift bridge (July 28, 1942) as the result of being rammed by a tanker.
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. "Carlsbad Irrigation District, Avalon Dam," No. NM-4-B. 1990.
(HAERNM4B)
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. "Lower Bridge At English Center," No. PA-461. 1997.
(HAERPA461)
  • Detailed study of the hybrid suspension-truss bridge at English Center. Appendix A provides a "partial list of suspension bridges in Pennsylvania."
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. "Texas Suspension Bridges," No. TX-98. 2000.
(HAERTX98)
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. "Verde River Sheep Bridge (Red Point Sheep Bridge)," No. AZ-10. July 1987.
(HAERAZ10)
Hobbs, Richard S. Catastrophe To Triumph: Bridges of the Tacoma Narrows. 2006.
(CTT)
Hoey, Dennis."Swinging Bridge Getting a Makeover." Portland Press Herald August 1, 2005.
(PPH20050801)
Holstine, Craig and Richard Hobbs. Spanning Washington. Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State. 2005.
(SPW)
Hopkins, H.J. A Span Of Bridges. 1970.
(ASB)
  • Excellent book on this history of bridges, available at many libraries.
Hyde, Charles K. Historic Highway Bridges Of Michigan. 1993.
(HHM)
Irvine, H. Max. Cable Structures. 1981.
(CSTR)
  • Textbook treatment of cable-supported structures.
Jackson, Donald. Great American Bridges And Dams. 1988.
(GBD)
  • State-by-state sampling of bridges and dams.
Jacobs, David, and Anthony E. Neville. Bridges, Canals & Tunnels - The Engineering Conquest of America. 1968.
(BCT)
Jakkula, Arne Arthur. A History of Suspension Bridges in Bibliographical Form. Bulletin of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. 4th ser., v. 12, no. 7. July 1, 1941.
(AAJ)
Jervoise, E. The Ancient Bridges Of The North Of England. 1931.
(ANE)
Jodidio, Philip. Santiago Calatrava. 2001.
(SCJ)
John A Roebling's Sons Company. Construction Of Parallel Wire Cables for Suspension Bridges. 1925.
(CPW)
  • Dozens of spectacular photos detailing erection of the Bear Mountain Bridge's cables.
John A Roebling's Sons Company. Suspension Bridges - A Century Of Progress.
(SJR)
  • Collection of articles mostly from the Engineering News-Record and Wire Engineering.
Kashima, Satoshi, and Makoto Kitagawa. . "The Longest Suspension Bridge." Scientific American December 1997.
(SA199712b)
  • Article about the Akaishi-Kaikyo bridge.
Kemp, Emory L. Charles Ellet, Jr. and the Wheeling Suspension Suspension Bridge. Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(CEJ)
Kemp, Emory L. . Samuel Brown: Britain's Pioneer Suspension Bridge Builder. History of Technology 1977. 1977.
(SBR)
Kemp, Emory L., and Beverly B. Fluty. The Wheeling Suspenison Bridge - A Pictorial Heritage. 1999.
(WHSB)
Kerrod, Robin. A First Look At Bridges. 1972.
(FLB)
Kidney, Walter C. Pittsburgh's Bridges - Architecture and Engineering. 1999.
(PBR)
Kingston, Jeremy, and Arthur Lockwood. How it is made - Bridges. 1985.
(HIB)
Kosowatz, John J. . "Building a New Gateway to China." Scientific American December 1997.
(SA199712a)
  • Articles about the Lantau Link (Tsing Ma) project.
Kramer, Carl E. Capital on the Kentucky: A Two Hundred Year History of Frankfort and Franklin County. 1986.
(HOF)
Kranakis, Eda. Constructing A Bridge. 1997.
(CAB)
  • Thorough and detailed, this book explores the simultaneous rise of suspension bridges in France and the U.S. focusing on Finley's chain suspension bridges and Navier's Pont des Invalides. Kranakis explores the cultural factors that influenced the enginee
Legge, Charles. Report on Proposed Railway Bridge over the River St. Lawrence, Coteau to Valleyfield; and Rail Connection of the Ottawa Valley with the New England States. 1873.
(LEG)
Leonhardt, Fritz. Brücken (Bridges). 1984.
(BFL)
  • MIT Press edition of his famous 1982 book.
Lester, Wellington F. The Bridges Of Lordville. 1992.
(BOL)
Lindenthal, Gustav. Old and New Forms of the Suspension Bridge: The Stability and Safety of the Suspended Arch. The Engineering Magazine: An Industrial Review December, 1898.
(ONF)
Mackay, Sheila. Bridge Across The Century - The Story of the Forth Bridge. 1985.
(BAC)
Mair, George. Bridge Down. 1982.
(BDO)
  • Overblown account of 'killer bridges' in the wake of the Sunshine Skyway disaster.
Mason, Philip. The Ambassador Bridge. 1987.
(AMB)
McConal, Jon. Bridges Over the Brazos. 2005.
(BRAZ)
McCullough, C.B., Glenn S. Paxson, and Richard Rosecrans. Technical Bulletin No. 18: Oregon State Highway Department. Multiple-Span Suspension Bridges: Development and Experimental Verification Theory.
(MSSB)
McCullough, David. The Great Bridge.
(GB)
  • Thorough account of the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Mensch, E. Cromwell. San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge. A Technical Description In Ordinary Language. 1936.
(SFOM)
Metz, Lance E. Personal email from Lance E. Metz to Wayne Grodkiewicz, "Pedestrian Suspension Bridge." May 13, 2003.
(WGE20030513)
  • In reference to the two pedestrian suspension bridges (Upper and Lower) at Easton, PA.
Middleton, William D. The Bridge At Quebec. 2001.
(BAQ)
  • Highly recommended.
Middleton, William D. Landmarks On The Iron Road. 1999.
(LIR)
  • A tour of every important North American railroad bridge, tunnel, and related engineering feats.
Miller, Shannon. Austin Bridge Company - The First 50 Years 1918-1968. 1974.
(AUB)
Miller, William J. Crossing The Delaware - The Story of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. 1983.
(CTD)
Mindell, Ruth, and Jonathan Mindell. Bridges Over The Thames. 1985.
(BTH)
Ministry of Communications of the People's Republic of China. A Guide to Chinese Bridges. 2003.
(BCG)
Mitchell, Monte."Winds blow up a record at Grandfather Mountain." Winston-Salem Journal January 28, 2006.
(WSJ20060128)
Mock, Elizabeth B. The Architecture Of Bridges. 1949.
(ARB)
Modjeski, Ralph et. al. The Delaware River Bridge - Final Report of the Board Of Engineers. 1927.
(DRB)
  • Measuring 21 x 12 inches, this enormous final report includes dozens of photographs, pages upon pages of engineering detail and dozens of plates including a 42-inch foldout of the bridge.
Monroe, Elizabeth Brand. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge Court Case. Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(WCC)
Montens, Serge. Les Plus Beaux Ponts de France. 2001.
(BPF)
Moran, Barbara. . "A Bridge That Didn't Collapse." American Heritage of Invention & Technology Fall 1999.
(IT1999F)
  • An interesting article comparing the failure of the original Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge to the 'success' of the Deer Isle suspension bridge. I enjoyed the author's account of the harrowing experience of trying to walk across the Deer Isle bridge --
Morden, James C., and W. Bruce Leslie. . Falls View Bridges - History and Collapse, Niagara Ice Bridges - History and 1938.
(FVB)
  • 24-page booklet detailing collapse of the Falls View arch in 1938, but also includes information about the history of each of the suspension bridges at the same site.
Murray, Peter, MaryAnne Stevens, and Aschen Mikoyan. The Inhabited Bridge: past, present and future.
(INH)
  • In Russian and English.
Myer, Donald Beekman. Bridges And The City Of Washington. 1974.
(BCW)
  • History of bridges in the City of Washington and District of Columbia.
National Geographic Society. The Builders: Marvels of Engineering. 1992.
(BLD)
  • One chapter devoted to bridges.
Nelson, Gillian. Highland Bridges. 1990.
(HBR)
Normille, Dennis, and Frank Vizard. . "A Bridge So Far." Popular Science March 1998.
(PS199803)
  • Article about the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge.
O'Connor, Colin. Spanning Two Centuries: Historic Bridges of Australia. 1985.
(STC)
Oregon Department Of Transportation. Historic Highway Bridges Of Oregon. 1986.
(HHO)
Ostrow, Steven A. Bridges. 1997.
(BOS)
  • Almost entirely photographs.
Outerbridge, Graeme. Bridges. 1989.
(BOU)
  • Almost entirely photographs.
P.A.C. Spero & Company. Delaware Historic Bridges Survey And Evaluation. 1991.
(DHB)
Paxton, Roland A. Early Development of the Long Span Suspension Bridge in Britain, 1810-1840. Proceedings of an International Conference on Historic Bridges to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 1999.
(EDLS)
Paxton, Roland. 100 Years Of The Forth Bridge. 1990.
(FBR)
Pearce, Martin, and Richard Jobson. Bridge Builders. 2002.
(BBU)