May 24, 2024

Engineering Marvels: The Eads Bridge and Its 150-Year Journey

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Eads Bridge, an engineering marvel spanning the Mississippi River in St. Louis. We have a conversation with Dr. John Brown, author and professor emeritus, who shares insights about the bridge's designer, James Eads, and his innovative techniques that revolutionized bridge construction. The discussion delves into Eads' background, challenges during construction, and fascinating anecdotes like the controversial involvement of Andrew Carnegie and the unique test involving an elephant to ensure the bridge's safety. Dr. Brown's new book, 'Spanning the Gilded Age: James Eads and the Great Steel Bridge', further explores these topics, providing a detailed account of this iconic structure.

Show Notes
Guest Profile

We celebrate the 150th anniversary of the iconic Eads Bridge with guest Dr. John Brown, Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Engineering. Dr. Brown, author of 'Spanning the Gilded Age: James Eads and the Great Steel Bridge,' discusses the historical significance, groundbreaking engineering techniques, and financial challenges involved in the construction of the Eads Bridge.

The conversation explores James Eads's life, his innovative work during and after the Civil War, and his unparalleled contribution to bridging the Mississippi River. Listeners also hear about the bridge's endurance through historical events, including the 1896 cyclone, and future plans to commemorate its 150th anniversary. A fascinating exploration of history, engineering marvels, and societal impact.

[00:00] Celebrating a Monumental Birthday: The Eads Bridge Turns 150

[01:05] Introducing Dr. John Brown: A Deep Dive into the Gilded Age and James Eads

[04:22] James Eads: From Salvage to Innovation

[09:02] The Civil War and Eads' Ironclad Warships

[13:57] Engineering Marvels: The Eads Bridge and Its Impact

[24:58] Exploring the Future: The Eads Bridge Today and Beyond

[28:12] Engaging with the Community: Upcoming Events and Listener Participation

[30:08] Unveiling the Great Steel Bridge: A Historical Deep Dive

[30:37] Innovative Engineering: The Pneumatic Caisson Explained

[33:56] Challenges and Solutions Beneath the Mississippi

[37:11] The Human Cost of Innovation: Decompression Sickness

[40:13] From Vision to Reality: Financing the Great Steel Bridge

[44:37] Insider Deals and Industrial Age Dynamics

[45:49] Eads's Strategic Alliances and Construction Battles

[48:49] The Legacy of the Great Steel Bridge

[51:21] Final Thoughts and Event Promotion

This is Season 7! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

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John K. (Jack) Brown

Author/Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Engineering

John K. (Jack) Brown taught history, applied ethics, writing, and public speaking in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society from 1992 to 2015. His research centers on American technological and business history. He is the author of "The Baldwin Locomotive Works, 1831–1915: A Study in American Industrial Practice" and "Spanning the Gilded Age: James Eads and the Great Steel Bridge" published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

His history of the Baldwin Locomotive Works was published in 1995. Since then, he has written articles on the communications embodied in mechanical drawing and dimensional plans, counterfactual history of technology, the creation of knowledge inside firms, and the evolution of antitrust law circa 1912. His publications have won awards from the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society, the Society for Industrial Archaeology, and the Society for the History of Technology.

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