Jeff L. Brown

Highways to Empire: The Inca Road System

The Incas were the only culture that succeeded in building an empire that unified the region. The road system that the Incas used to stitch their empire together was comprised of paved sections and long catenary bridges woven from vines, grass, branches and other fibrous materials. These roads - the road building techniques that were used and how they functioned - are the focus of this article.

Tragedy and Triumph, Part 1: The Tay Bridge

On the night of December 28, 1879, a violent storm destroyed 13 spans of a major railroad bridge over Scotland’s Firth of Tay, sending 75 people to their deaths in one of the most notorious failures in the history of structural engineering. The lessons of the disaster have informed bridge design ever since. (This is the first of a two-part series.)

Erie Overhaul: The New York State Barge Canal

In the early 20th century, when canals across the country were losing their battle with the railroads, the State of New York undertook a massive expansion of the Erie Canal that saved it from obsolescence.

Around the Bend: Horseshoe Curve

In 1854 Horseshoe Curve enabled the Pennsylvania Railroad to conquer the Allegheny Mountains and achieve new heights of efficiency in transporting freight and passengers across the state, opening a gateway to the American Midwest that remains irreplaceable more than 160 years later.

A Federal Endeavor: The Old Cape Henry Lighthouse

In 1789, the First Congress passed legislation calling for the construction of a lighthouse near the entrance of Chesapeake Bay “at such place . . . as the President of the United States shall direct.” Thus began the first federally authorized public works project, which is known today as the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse.

Tragedy and Triumph, Part II: The Firth of Forth Railway Bridge

Following the disastrous collapse of Scotland’s Tay Bridge, on December 28, 1879, the makers of the Firth of Forth Railway Bridge knew they needed a structure that would reassure the public by creating a powerful impression of stability and strength. (This is the second of a two-part series.)

Planning the Paris of the Plains: Kansas City’s Parks and Boulevards

Between 1890 and 1915 the landscape architect and engineer George E. Kessler created a system of parks and boulevards that transformed Kansas City, Missouri, from an ugly boomtown into a desirable place to live while setting a course for the city’s future development.

Iron Lady: The Eiffel Tower

When the organizers of the Paris Exposition of 1889 called on Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel to build a grand centerpiece that would embody the ideals of industry and progress, he created a wrought-iron tower that would reign as the world’s tallest man-made structure for more than 40 years.

Ancient Water Engineers: The Nabataeans of Petra

Two thousand years ago, sophisticated irrigation, flood control, and water supply systems made the city of Petra the center of a flourishing civilization.

Covered Coliseum: Dorton Arena

The world’s first stadium to employ a permanent cable-supported roof was not a high-profile sports venue but a pavilion originally intended for judging livestock.