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Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Records

Creator:
Niagara Falls International Bridge Company and Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company  Search this
Names:
Niagara Falls Arch Bridge Commission  Search this
Niagara Falls International Bridge Company  Search this
Buck, Leffert L.  Search this
Burrows, George L.  Search this
Reynolds, Thomas  Search this
Roebling, John Augustus, 1806-1869  Search this
Extent:
8 Cubic feet (23 boxes, 5 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Contracts
Correspondence
Blueprints
Drawings
Ledgers (account books)
Photographs
Place:
Niagara Falls (N.Y. and Ont.)
Date:
1848-1946
bulk 1890-1929
Summary:
Correspondence, bridge construction and condition reports, financial records, and other materials created by or concerning the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company (NFSB). The main focus of the collection is company administration and the daily operation of a series of bridges connecting the U.S. and Canada over the Niagara Gorge.
Scope and Contents:
This collection is comprised of paper-based documents, created from 1848 to 1946 (with the majority created between 1890 and 1929), that relate to the business affairs of the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company. The bulk of the collection was created by or addressed to the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company, but as the two companies are interconnected, there are documents created by or for the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company. This collection provides data on topics such as business administration; bridge development, construction, and maintenance; and the early careers of two important engineers—John A. Roebling and Leffert L. Buck. John A. Roebling designed several famous bridges, most notably the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City. Leffert L. Buck co-engineered the Williamsburg Bridge, also in New York City. At the time of its completion, the Williamsburg Bridge was the longest bridge in the world.[1] The collection has been divided into series based on a reconstruction of the original order, which appears to have been based on subject. In cases where the original order has been lost, subject divisions have been created. Most series and subseries are arranged chronologically, although there are some departures from this arrangement. The collection is divided into five series: Series 1, Company Governance, 1848-1926; Series 2, Bridge Construction and Maintenance, 1851-1946; Series 3, General Correspondence, 1885-1946; Series 4, Financial Records, 1848-1941; and Series 5, Miscellaneous Published Materials, 1892-1920s.

[1] Wikipedia. 2007. Leffert L. Buck. 20 June 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leffert_L._Buck (accessed 23 July 2007).
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into five series.

Series 1, Company Governance, 1848-1926

Series 2, Bridge Construction and Maintenance, 1851-1946

Series 3, General Correspondence, 1885-1946

Series 4, Financial Records, 1848-1941

Series 5, Miscellaneous Published Materials, 1892-1920s
Biographical / Historical:
[1] In 1846 the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company were formed to construct, maintain, and manage the affairs of a bridge connecting the United States and Canada over the Niagara Gorge. The Niagara Falls International Bridge Company formed the American component of the joint venture, and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company formed the Canadian component. The companies were governed by a joint board and managed by elected presidents. A superintendent was employed for daily activities such as cash accounting, employee interaction, and bridge supervision. The first suspension bridge was built in 1848, but less than ten years later a stronger bridge was needed due to heavy traffic. John A. Roebling designed and oversaw construction of the Railway Suspension Bridge. The new bridge officially opened in 1855 and supported pedestrian, carriage, and train traffic. Increasing use and heavier loads warranted the construction of a bridge with higher load capacity. The Third Suspension Bridge was completed in 1885, under the direction of engineer Leffert L. Buck. The demand for a bridge capable of accommodating increasingly heavier loads and traffic led to the construction of the Lower Arch Bridge (sometimes referred to as the Steel Arch Bridge and renamed the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in 1939). Once again, Leffert L. Buck designed and managed construction of the bridge, which was completed in 1897. The Lower Arch Bridge was built around the skeleton of the Third Suspension Bridge, without disrupting travel. The Lower Arch Bridge supported pedestrian and carriage traffic. A separate level carried train traffic, and the bridge companies maintained contractual relationships with various rail carriers, including the Grand Trunk Railway, Michigan Central Railroad, and the Canadian National Railway. This bridge is still in use today. George L. Burrows (1836-1921) was president of the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company from 1885 until his death, and was supported by Superintendent Thomas Reynolds for the majority of his tenure. During a portion of the time covered by this collection Charles Riordan was president of the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company, with J.H. Ingersoll acting as Secretary-Treasurer (and later president). The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission was created in 1938, and bought the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in 1959. The Board of Commissioners consists of citizens of both the United States and Canada, and the main function of the organization is to oversee the management of the Whirlpool Rapids, Rainbow, and Lewiston-Queenston Bridges.

[1] In addition to sources from within the collection, historical information on the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, the Niagara Falls International Bridge Company and the Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge Company was taken from:

Berketa, Rick. 2006. Bridges over Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls Thunder Alley. http://www.niagarafrontier.com/index.html (accessed 27 July 2006).

Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. 2006. Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. http://www.niagarafallsbridges.com/index.php3 (accessed 27 July 2006).
Provenance:
Unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photograph must be handled with gloves.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Bridge maintenance  Search this
Bridges -- New York (N.Y.)  Search this
Suspension bridges  Search this
Arch bridges  Search this
Genre/Form:
Contracts
Correspondence
Blueprints
Drawings
Ledgers (account books)
Photographs -- Black-and-white negatives -- Glass
Citation:
Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1060
See more items in:
Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Records
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8cc49d0b3-f3cc-4f29-9cef-d9428b1b4d80
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1060

Brooklyn Bridge re-unveiling celebration : 3:00 P.M. Sunday, December 2, 1945, Manhattan Bridge Plaza / sponsored by City Hall Park Association

Author:
City Hall Park Association  Search this
Physical description:
1 v. (unpaged) : ill., map ; 24 cm
Type:
Books
Place:
New York (State)
New York
Brooklyn Bridge (New York, N.Y.)
Date:
1945
1945]
Topic:
Bridges--Maintenance and repair--History  Search this
Call number:
TG25.N53 B76 1945
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_909032

Assessment data and treatment recommendations report : B & O Railroad Bridge Piers Stabilization Design Project, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, National Capital Region : final report / prepared by Williamsport Historic Preservation Training Center, Harpers Ferry Center

Author:
Williamsport Historic Preservation Training Center (Harpers Ferry Center)  Search this
Physical description:
48, [83] leaves : ill. (some col.), plans (most folded) ; 29 cm
Type:
Books
Place:
West Virginia
Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Date:
1994
[1994]
Topic:
Railroad bridges--Foundations and piers  Search this
Historic bridges--Maintenance and repair  Search this
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_472481

NZP Bridge Maintenance and Improvement

Collection Creator::
National Zoological Park. Office of the Director  Search this
Container:
Box 19 of 40
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 01-044, National Zoological Park. Office of the Director, National Zoological Park Offices, Officials and Programs Files
See more items in:
National Zoological Park Offices, Officials and Programs Files
National Zoological Park Offices, Officials and Programs Files / Box 19
Archival Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-sia-fa01-044-refidd1e5868

Replacement of the west approach to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge : archaeological research design and treatment plan / edited by Grace H. Ziesing ; with contributions by Nancy Olmsted, Roger W. Olmsted ... [et al.] ; submitted to CALTRANS, District 4 ; submitted by Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University Academic Foundation, Inc

Title:
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, west approach replacement : archaeological research design and treatment plan
Author:
Ziesing, Grace H  Search this
Olmsted, Nancy 1927-  Search this
Olmsted, Roger Wolcott  Search this
Praetzellis, Adrian 1952-  Search this
Praetzellis, Mary 1949-  Search this
California Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency  Search this
California Department of Transportation  Search this
California Department of Transportation District 4  Search this
United States Federal Highway Administration  Search this
Sonoma State University Anthropological Studies Center  Search this
Physical description:
2 v. (555 p. in various pagings) : ill., maps, plates ; 28 cm
Type:
Books
Place:
California
San Francisco
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco (Calif.)
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Oakland and San Francisco, Calif.)
Date:
2000
Topic:
Excavations (Archaeology)  Search this
Bridges--Maintenance and repair  Search this
Antiquities  Search this
History  Search this
Maintenance and repair  Search this
Call number:
F869.S38 R47 2000
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_766261

Pioneer roads and bridges in West Africa : their construction and maintenance / by James C. Renshaw

Author:
Renshaw, James C  Search this
Physical description:
47 p., 24 p. of plates ; 19 cm
Type:
Books
Place:
Africa, West
Date:
1917
Topic:
Roads--Design and construction  Search this
Bridges--Design and construction  Search this
Roads--Maintenance and repair  Search this
Bridges--Maintenance and repair  Search this
Call number:
TE175 .R46 1917
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_603506

Bridge of dreams : the rebirth of the Brooklyn Bridge / photographs by Burhan Dogançay ; with an introduction by Phillip Lopate

Author:
Dogançay, Burhan 1929-2013  Search this
Physical description:
119 p. : ill. ; 26 x 26 cm
Type:
Pictorial works
Place:
New York (State)
New York
Brooklyn Bridge (New York, N.Y.)
Date:
1999
C1999
Topic:
Suspension bridges--Maintenance and repair  Search this
Photography, Artistic  Search this
Call number:
TR647.D6365 L67 1999
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_593342

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