Bollman Truss Bridge Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Vogel, Robert M.
label: Creator
content: Bollman, Wendell, 1814-1884
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry
topic: label: Topic
content: Civil engineers
label: Topic
content: Bridges -- Maryland
label: Topic
content: Railroad engineers
label: Topic
content: Trusses
label: Topic
content: Railroads -- United States
label: Topic
content: Periodicals
label: Topic
content: Patents
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection assembled by Robert M. Vogel, curator, for the National Museum of American History, Division of Civil Engineering reference files.
creator: label: Creator
content: Vogel, Robert M.
label: Creator
content: Bollman, Wendell, 1814-1884
setName: label: See more items in
content: Bollman Truss Bridge Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents various aspects of the development, implementation and research value of the Bollman truss bridge design.
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: Wendel Bollman (1814-1884) was a self-educated engineer who began working for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as a carpenter and devised a bridge-trussing system that was a series of independently supported floor beams, each carried by a double pair of eye-bar ties. He patented the system in 1852 and it became known as the "Bollman Truss". The Bollman truss was used on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, its subsidiaries, and several roads.  It was the first bridge trussing system which all princicpal elements were made of iron. Bollman trusses were built until about 1875 nd rtained in service until about 1890.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 3 Cubic feet (4 boxes and 1 map-folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1852-1986
custodhist: label: Ownership and Custodial History
content: Robert Vogel assembled the collection from a number of sources, including historical societies, bridge enthusiasts, and descendants of Wendel Bollman. It was transferred from the Division of Engineering (now the Division of Work and Industry) to the Archives Center in 2007.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1064
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Blueprints
label: Type
content: Maps
label: Type
content: Minutes
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Diagrams
label: Type
content: Advertisements
label: Type
content: Specifications
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Blueprints
label: Genre/Form
content: Maps
label: Genre/Form
content: Minutes
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence
label: Genre/Form
content: Diagrams
label: Genre/Form
content: Advertisements
label: Genre/Form
content: Specifications
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 19th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: Papers documenting various aspects of the development, implementation and research value of the Bollman truss bridge design. The collection includes correspondence, photographs, articles and clippings, schematics, diagrams, maps, and other printed materials. Also includes records of government agencies associated with Bollman truss structures, such as meeting minutes, and surveys receipts.