During the first half of the nineteenth century, builders went from constructing one bridge at a time to erecting hundreds of thousands. Join us in conversation with historian and curator Gregory Dreicer as he discusses his new book, American Bridge. It explores a radical reimagining of building, sparked by a structure regarded as an “American” icon across much of the world. Dreicer tracks the technologists who invented the long-span beam, the truss, and the processes that enabled industrializing nations to rapidly build the infrastructure essential for their growth. Along the way, he reveals who developed the high-rise skeleton frame, and why.

Challenging two centuries of evolutionist and nationalist narratives has enabled Dreicer to uncover the reinvention of building — surely one of the biggest mysteries of industrial capitalism. It also leads him to make visible the contribution of enslaved Black people at a world-altering moment. Grounding in these hidden histories close to home, Dreicer explores the narratives that shaped the thinking of Chicago designers — and the tales storytellers have told us about them. As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, American Bridge reminds us that the stories we share are our bridges to the future.

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