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1987

Society: IEEEMain Category: ElectricEra: 1940-1949DateCreated: 1946Moore School of Electrical EngineeringPhiladelphiaState: PAZip: 19104Country: USAWebsite: http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Milestones:Electronic_Numerical_Integrator_and_Computer,_1946Creator: Moore School of Electrical Engineering

A major advance in the history of computing occurred at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946 when engineers put the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) into operation. Designed and constructed at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering under a U. S. Army contract during World War II, the ENIAC established the practicality of large scale, electronic digital computers and strongly influenced the development of the modern, stored-program, general-purpose computer.

 

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Courtesy Wikipedia/US ArmyImage Caption: Programmers operate the main control panel of the ENIAC.Era_date_from: 1946
Westmoreland Iron Works
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: ManufacturingEra: 1850-1859DateCreated: 185050 Station RoadWestmorelandState: NYZip: 13490Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/manufacturing---2/-126-westmoreland-iron-works-%281850%29Creator: Clark, Erastus , Buell, Abel

The history of this foundry, which was the oldest malleable iron company in continuous operation in the United States for many years, was inseparable from that of the small town of Westmoreland, where neighbors and workers kept time by the foundry bell. The firm was founded as Oakhill Malleable Iron Company in 1833 and was established under its present name in Westmoreland in 1850. Erastus W. Clark, who along with his brother-in-law Abel Buell brought the foundry to Westmoreland, ran the ironworks until 1871 and was the first of six generations who still own and manage it.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Courtesy ASMEImage Caption: Westmoreland Iron WorksEra_date_from: 1850
Samson Mine Reversible Waterwheel & Man Engine
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: Minerals Extraction & RefiningEra: 1800-1829DateCreated: 1824Samson PitSankt AndreasbergState: Lower SaxonyCountry: GermanyWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/minerals-extraction-and-refining/-118-samson-mine-reversible-waterwheel---man-engin, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/ee57310a-3df7-4e67-8ed6-d54357184890/118_Samson_Mine_Reversible_Waterwheel_Man_Engin.aspx

This silver mine preserves two features of bygone practice. One is the reversible waterwheel of the ore-hoist, which originally was installed in 1565 and currently dates back to 1824. The present wheel is 9 meters in diameter and reaches a depth of 700 meters.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Public Domain (Author's Choice)Image Caption: Samson Mine Reversible Waterwheel & Man EngineEra_date_from: 1824
Quebec Bridge
Society: ASCEMain Category: CivilSub Category: BridgesEra: 1910-1919DateCreated: 1917Quebec BridgeQuebec CityState: QuebecZip: G1K 4J9Country: CanadaWebsite: http://www.asce.org/Project/Quebec-Bridge/Creator: McLure, Norman , Cooper, Theodore

The bridge is immense, not only in length and weight but in width. At 67 feet wide, it can accommodate two sets of railway tracks, two sets of streetcar tracks and two roadways.

It took three tries and cost 89 lives, but the city of Quebec was determined to compete with provincial rival Montreal for commercial rail traffic in the late 19th century. The solution was a rail bridge across the St. Lawrence River requiring a single cantilever span 1,800 feet long - the longest ever attempted. 

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Courtesy Wikipedia/Sebastien Savard (CC BY-SA 2.5)Image Caption: Quebec BridgeEra_date_from: 1917
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: ManufacturingEra: 1960-1969DateCreated: 1966Robbins & Lawrence ArmoryWindsorState: VTZip: 05089Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/manufacturing---2/-119-american-precision-museumCreator: Battison, Edwin Albert
In fulfilling a contract for 25,000 U.S. Army rifles (Model 1841) and a like quantity for the British government, Robbins and Lawrence were the first to achieve interchangeability of parts on a fully practical level, contributing greatly to all subsequent mass production of machine products. This was made possible by the systematic improvement and refinement of existing standard and special-purpose machine tools, enabling them to perform with the close-limit precision essential for "repeatability" and thus interchangeability (see the American Precision Museum).
YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/Liz West (CC BY 2.0)Image Caption: American Precision MuseumEra_date_from: 1966
Morison's Memphis Bridge
Society: ASCEMain Category: CivilSub Category: BridgesEra: 1890-1899DateCreated: 1892Mississippi RiverMemphisState: TNZip: 38106Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asce.org/Project/Morison-s-Memphis-Bridge/Creator: Morison, George

The Memphis Bridge (now called the Frisco Bridge) comprises three spans across the Mississippi River. With a main span measuring over 790 feet, it was one of the longest railroad bridges in the world upon completion. The renowned George Morison, after whom the bridge is unofficially named, served as Chief Engineer.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Public Domain (National Park Service)Image Caption: Morison's Memphis BridgeEra_date_from: 1892
McKinley Climatic Laboratory
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: Research and DevelopmentEra: 1940-1949DateCreated: 194446th Test WingEglin AFBState: FLZip: 32542Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/research-and-development/-116-mckinley-climatic-laboratory-%281944%29Creator: McKinley, Ashley, U.S. Army Air Force

Designed and constructed in the early 1940s, this laboratory has an unequalled capacity to simulate a wide range of climatic conditions from arctic cold to jungle moisture. Data from tests of some three hundred different aircraft and over two thousand items of equipment has provided information vital to the performance, safety, and reliability of aircraft operating in extremes of weather.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Public Domain (United States Air Force)Image Caption: McKinley Climatic LaboratoryEra_date_from: 1944
keeseville
Society: ASCEMain Category: CivilSub Category: BridgesEra: 1870-1879DateCreated: 1878AuSable RiverKeesevilleState: NYCountry: USAWebsite: http://www.asce.org/project/bridges-of-keeseville/Creator: Townsend, Soloman , Berlin Iron Bridge Company

A 214-foot single-span covered wooden bridge, built above the cribs of stone in the AuSable River that served to break log jams and ice floes, collapsed during the winter of 1875 under the weight of a three-foot snowfall and high winds. The "Upper Bridge" (pictured) was built in its place.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Public Domain (Released by Creator)Image Caption: The Keeseville Suspension Bridge built 1888, Keeseville, one of the three "Bridges of Keeseville" that span the AuSable RiverEra_date_from: 1878
Kamehameha V Post Office
Society: ASCEMain Category: CivilSub Category: BuildingsEra: 1870-1879DateCreated: 1871corner of Merchant and Bethel StreetsHonoluluState: HIZip: 96813Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asce.org/People-and-Projects/Projects/Landmarks/Kamehameha-V-Post-Office/Creator: Osborn, J.G.

The Kamehameha V Post Office is the oldest surviving public building in the U.S.  constructed with reinforced concrete. The success of this early structure helped establish the value of reinforced concrete as a durable construction material.

Brickmaker J.G. Osborne was chosen to provide design and construction. He  immigrated to Hawaii from Yorkshire, England, and was aware of the recent  development of Portland cement and its expanding use in Europe. It is believed that the leaders of Hawaii were anxious to adopt British skills, which influenced their selection of Osborne.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Public Domain (Author's Choice)Image Caption: Kamehameha V Post OfficeEra_date_from: 1871
Icing Research Tunnel, NASA Lewis Research Center
Society: ASMEMain Category: MechanicalSub Category: Research and DevelopmentEra: 1940-1949DateCreated: 1944Glenn Research CenterClevelandState: OHZip: 44135Country: USAWebsite: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/research-and-development/-117-icing-research-tunnel,-nasa-lewis-research-ce, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/f9fb127c-7ba2-4b73-ba34-75fca7265485/117-Icing-Research-Tunnel-NASA-Lewis-Research-Ce.aspx

In operation since 1944, the Icing Research Tunnel is the oldest and largest refrigerated icing wind tunnel in the world. Technology developed there enables aircraft to fly safely through icing clouds. Two firsts include the unique heat exchanger and the spray system that simulates a natural icing cloud of tiny droplets.

YearAdded:
1987
Image Credit: Courtesy NASAImage Caption: Cleveland Mayor, Frank G. Jackson, tours the Icing Research TunnelEra_date_from: 1944
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Innovations

Pullman Sleeping Car Glengyle

The Glengyle is the earliest known survivor of the fleet of heavyweight, all-steel sleepers built by Pullman Company. The design was introduced in 1907 as a marked improvement over the wooden version then in use. Some 10,000 were built, in various configurations, the last in 1931. The Glengyle…

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Allegheny Portage Railroad

In an era when roads and canals were the most common means of overland transportation, the Allegheny Portage Railroad provided a novel alternative. The railway carried fully-loaded canal boats over the steep grades of the Allegheny Mountain. The 36-mile system rose almost 2,300 feet above sea…

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Bonneville Dam, Columbia River System

The Bonneville Dam, Columbia River Power and Navigation System consists of 55 major projects on Oregon's Columbia River and is said to be the largest hydroelectric system in the world.

The Columbia River forms part of the border between Washington and Oregon and flows inland through the…

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When built in 1962, this shovel was the second largest in the world. It was used for the removal of overburden in the surface mining of thin coal seams. In its lifetime, it recovered nine million tons of bituminous coal from depths of 20 to 50 feet for local electric power generation. Standing 160-… Read More
As one of the large strikes in the Lake Superior geological district, the Chapin Mine was located under a cedar swamp and unminable until it was drained by one of the largest pumping engines of the 1880s. Miners at the Chapin Mine, which began producing ore in 1880, soon tried to sink a deep shaft… Read More
Dismal Swamp Canal

The Dismal Swamp Canal was created as a 22-mile waterway, extending from Deep Creek, Virginia to South Mills, North Carolina. The canal enabled North Carolina producers of building and agricultural products to deliver goods to the Port of Norfolk where they were transferred to ocean-going…

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Known as the Paper City by 1877, this site was a major industrial center with extensive paper mills, textile mills, machine shops, and a water power system that had within a few decades transformed the fields of Ireland Parish into the manufacturing city of Holyoke. A group of Boston investors… Read More
Houston Ship Channel

The 50-mile Houston Ship Channel is a manmade port for ocean-going vessels, stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Houston and Harris County, Texas.   

The waterway was originally known as Buffalo Bayou and was swampy, marshy, and overgrown with dense vegetation. Steamboats and…

Read More
Icing Research Tunnel, NASA Lewis Research Center

In operation since 1944, the Icing Research Tunnel is the oldest and largest refrigerated icing wind tunnel in the world. Technology developed there enables aircraft to fly safely through icing clouds. Two firsts include the unique heat exchanger and the spray system that simulates a natural…

Read More
Kamehameha V Post Office

The Kamehameha V Post Office is the oldest surviving public building in the U.S.  constructed with reinforced concrete. The success of this early structure helped establish the value of reinforced concrete as a durable construction material.

Brickmaker J.G. Osborne was chosen to provide…

Read More
keeseville

A 214-foot single-span covered wooden bridge, built above the cribs of stone in the AuSable River that served to break log jams and ice floes, collapsed during the winter of 1875 under the weight of a three-foot snowfall and high winds. The "Upper Bridge" (pictured) was built in its place.…

Read More
McKinley Climatic Laboratory

Designed and constructed in the early 1940s, this laboratory has an unequalled capacity to simulate a wide range of climatic conditions from arctic cold to jungle moisture. Data from tests of some three hundred different aircraft and over two thousand items of equipment has provided information…

Read More
Morison's Memphis Bridge

The Memphis Bridge (now called the Frisco Bridge) comprises three spans across the Mississippi River. With a main span measuring over 790 feet, it was one of the longest railroad bridges in the world upon completion. The renowned George Morison, after whom the bridge is unofficially named,…

Read More
In fulfilling a contract for 25,000 U.S. Army rifles (Model 1841) and a like quantity for the British government, Robbins and Lawrence were the first to achieve interchangeability of parts on a fully practical level, contributing greatly to all subsequent mass production of machine products. This… Read More
Quebec Bridge

The bridge is immense, not only in length and weight but in width. At 67 feet wide, it can accommodate two sets of railway tracks, two sets of streetcar tracks and two roadways.

It took three tries and cost 89 lives, but the city of Quebec was determined to compete with provincial rival…

Read More
Samson Mine Reversible Waterwheel & Man Engine

This silver mine preserves two features of bygone practice. One is the reversible waterwheel of the ore-hoist, which originally was installed in 1565 and currently dates back to 1824. The present wheel is 9 meters in diameter and reaches a depth of 700 meters.

Second, the man engine of…

Read More
Westmoreland Iron Works

The history of this foundry, which was the oldest malleable iron company in continuous operation in the United States for many years, was inseparable from that of the small town of Westmoreland, where neighbors and workers kept time by the foundry bell. The firm was founded as Oakhill Malleable…

Read More

A major advance in the history of computing occurred at the University of Pennsylvania in 1946 when engineers put the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) into operation. Designed and constructed at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering under a U. S. Army contract during…

Read More

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