Description
Join John C. Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP, John C. Guenther Architect LLC. Named for its designer and builder, James Buchanan Eads, work on the Eads Bridge began in 1867. Even during construction, the New York Times called it “The World’s Eighth Wonder.” Completed in 1874, the Eads Bridge was the first bridge across the Mississippi south of the Missouri River and is the oldest bridge on the Mississippi River. The 6,442-foot-long Eads Bridge is an engineering marvel and aesthetic triumph. It was the first large-scale use of steel as a structural material. The triple span, tubular steel arch construction – with the longest arch span of 520 feet – are supported by two shore abutments and two mid-river piers, whose foundations were the deepest underwater constructions at the time, reaching more than 100 feet below water level. Construction techniques featured an inventive cantilevered rigging system supported by the stone piers to erect the steel arches. Attendees will leave with a greater appreciation of this much-loved landmark of St. Louis and its designer, James Buchanan Eads.
