Original bridge plans and construction drafts. Four different bridge types are represented: Strauss direct lift bridge, Strauss trunnion draw span, Strauss trunnion bascule bridge, and Strauss vertical lift bridge.

Joseph Baermann Strauss (1870-1938) was an American structural engineer who revolutionized the design of bascule bridges. Strauss held numerous patents for bascule bridges, including his major innovation of using concrete counterweights coupled with a series of linkages to balance the moveable span. His company the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company (later called Strauss Engineering Corporation), based in Chicago, Illinois, designed a variety of moveable and fixed bridges based on these patents. He was also the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge, which opened in 1937 in San Francisco shortly before his death in 1938.

250 map folder(s) (circa 4,500 drawings)

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. See: http://library.stanford.edu/spc/using-collections/permission-publish

The collection is open for research. Note that material is stored off-site and must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.