http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squire_Whipple

http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/369.html

Squire Whipple C.E. (September 16, 1804 – March 15, 1888) was a civil engineer born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, USA. His family moved to New York when he was thirteen. He studied at Fairfield Academy. He graduated from Union College after only one year. He has become known as the father of iron bridge building in America.

He died March 15, 1888 in Albany, New York, USA and was buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, Menands, New York.

Bridges

His designs were implemented in numerous bridges, both large through truss bridges, as well as prefabricated bowstring arch bridges, which became the standard design for Erie Canal crossings; using an economical mix of wrought iron for tension members and cast iron in compression. Another such arch is the Shaw Bridge, "a structure of outstanding importance to the history of American engineering and transportation technology."

Constructed after Whipple's death the Cairo Bridge's two 518 feet (157.9 m) Whipple truss spans, were the largest of that design ever constructed.

Patents

U.S. Patent 2,064 – Bowstring iron-bridge truss (1841)

U.S. Patent 134,338 – Lift draw bridge

Books

A Work on Bridge-Building: Consisting of Two Essays, the One Elementary and General, the Other Giving Original Plans, and Practical Details, for Iron and Wooden Bridges (1847)

An elementary and practical treatise on bridge building (1899)