Theodore Burr and the bridging of early America : the man, fellow bridge builders, and their forgotten timber spans / Ronald G. Knapp & Terry E. Miller.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Knapp, Ronald G., 1940- author.

Miller, Terry E., author.

Contributor:

National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges, sponsoring body.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Burr, Theodore.

Covered bridges--19th century.

Covered bridges.

Covered bridges--United States.

Physical Description:

517 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm

Place of Publication:

[Place of publication not identified] : Ronald G. Knapp & Terry E. Miller, [2023]

Summary:

"Theodore Burr (1771-1822) was the most prominent of America's three early nineteenth century bridge-building pioneers, the others being Timothy Palmer (1751-1821) and Lewis Wernwag (1769-1843). All three built superlative long-span timber bridges. A transplant from northwestern Connecticut, Theodore Burr moved to Oxford, New York in 1793. In less than thirty years, he erected timber bridges over major rivers--the Hudson, Schoharie, Mohawk, Delaware, Potomac, and Susquehanna rivers--in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia, and Maryland. This is the first book to narrate the significant role of covered bridges, associated turnpikes, and indeed the bridge-builders themselves in the westward expansion of the new nation. The book is richly illustrated with lithographs, paintings, and both historic and modern photographs, most of which have never been published before. Anyone today who has visited America's covered bridges and examined the structural features within is likely familiar with the variant forms of Burr's 1817 patented "Burr arch-truss" design--a multiple kingpost truss with an added segmented timber arch. Of the more than 1100 bridges using Burr's design that were erected over the past two hundred years, more than a hundred still stand in Pennsylvania, Indiana, New York, and other states. Burr claimed to have built forty-five bridges. These however were not like the ordinary covered bridges commonly seen today that are identified with his patent but include some of the most challenging and superlative bridges in American history. Despite his Herculean efforts, part of Burr's legacy includes an obscure and ignominious demise, possibly by then penniless. He was buried in an unknown grave. Burr deserved better. This is the first book-length work on Theodore Burr, chronicling his bridge building career and transforming a little understood legend into a real person who endured setbacks and failures while using those experiences to improve his timber bridge designs. The authors employ previously unknown primary historical documents for a fresh look at Burr's life as well as that of contemporaneous early nineteenth century bridge builders."--Back cover

Contents:

Introduction: The need to reevaluate Theodore Burr's work, legacy, and early 19th century timber bridge building

Part I: Theodore Burr's world and life. Theodore Burr's world

Burr's life at Oxford and beyond

Part II: Theodore Burr's bridges & context. Early American bridge building, Burr's mills and bridges

Bridging the Hudson River between Lansingburgh and Waterford

Burr the innovator: Bridging New York State and elsewhere

The old Mohawk Bridge between Schenectady and Scotia

Burr and Potomac River bridges

Northumberland: Birth, life, and death of Burr's first long-span Susquehanna River bridge

Harrisburg: The capital's "camelback bridges"

Burr's other Susquehanna bridges: Triumph and disappointment

Part III: Theodore Burr's legacy. Burr after Burr: Legacy and lawsuits

The "Burr arch-truss" in later bridges in the United States and Canada

Remembering those who made Burr's bridges possible

Appendix: Handwritten copy of Burr's 1817 patent

Inventory of Theodore Burr's bridges.

Notes:

"Sponsored by the National Society for the Preservation of Covered Bridges."

Includes bibliographical references (page 462-495) and index.

Local Notes:

HSP credit line: [Graphics] #1. "Grays Ferry Lithograph by Cephas G. Childs, after George Lehman, 1830". Bb7G795. Digital Library Record Number 249. (1 image). Page 19. #2. "Sylvester Kibbe to Silas Marsh with illustrations, May 1, 1824". Harrisburg Bridge Company Records [1870], Folder 2. (2 images). Page 323. : [Manuscripts (unpublished)] #1. "Theodore Burr Ledger Entry". Susquehanna Permanent Bridge Company account book [Am.214]. (1 image). #2. "Letter from Theodore Burr, Columbia County Jail, 20 October 1815". Harrisburg Bridge Company Records [1870], Folder 1 (2 scans). Page 307. : [Printed materials] #1. "Notice to Bridge Builders, Harrisburg Telegraph Newspaper Clipping, February 5, 1867". Harrisburg Bridge Company Records [1870], Folder 8. (1 image). Page 313.

ISBN:

9781916787773

1916787770

1916787835

9781916787834

OCLC:

1399534606