American Swing Bridges 1797 to 1907

Movable bridges were built for centuries with wood, iron, and steel. The earliest drawbridges of short span were followed by swing bridges. In the United States, swing bridges were originally built across canals such as the Erie and the Chesapeake and Ohio (C & O) with wood and iron. Starting around the Civil War, longer span swing bridges were built across the major rivers of the country. This paper, largely a pictorial history, traces the development of the swing bridge between 1797 and 1907. After 1907 few bascule swing bridges were built, as vertical lift bridges generally replaced them.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)SC.1943-5576.0000072
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/10840680
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Copyright © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers
• Authors:
  • Griggs Jr, Francis E
• Publication Date: 2011-11-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Illustrations; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 170-185
• Serial:
  • Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 1084-0680
  • Serial URL: http://ascelibrary.org/loi/ppscfx

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Canals; Historic bridges; Iron; Rivers; Swing bridges; Wood
• Identifier Terms: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; Erie Canal
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pictorial works; Vertical lift bridges
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; History; Marine Transportation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01361595
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: Jan 30 2012 7:08AM