James Buchanan Eads

Biography

James Buchanan Eads, born in 1820, overcame humble origins to become one of the era's most inventive civil engineers, channeling a restless curiosity into the challenges of the Mississippi River.

His crowning achievement, the Eads Bridge, stands as a monument to his mastery of steel and his determination to open the West to commerce, while his improvements to dredging, jetties, and safe steam navigation earned the admiration of builders around the world.