Charles Alton Ellis
Charles Alton Ellis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1876 Parkman, Maine |
| Died | August 22, 1949 (aged 72–73) Evanston, Illinois |
| Occupation | structural engineer |
| Known for | Designing the Golden Gate bridge structure |
Charles Alton Ellis (1876 – 1949) was a professor, structural engineer and mathematician who was chiefly responsible for the structural design of the Golden Gate Bridge.[1] Because of a dispute with Joseph Strauss, he was not recognized for his work when the bridge opened in 1937.
Ellis was born in Parkman, Maine in 1876 and earned a degree in mathematics from Wesleyan University (where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity) and a graduate certificate in engineering (C.E.) from the University of Illinois.[2][3] During his career, he was a professor at the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois, and Purdue University.[4]
A dispute over the time it was taking to complete the design led Strauss to accuse Ellis of wasting time and money, and to dismiss him from the project.[5] The copy of the engineering drawings for the Golden Gate Bridge on file at the Library of Congress is signed by Ellis,[6] but the plaque placed on the bridge in 1937 did not give him any credit.[7]
Ellis was officially given recognition for his part in the designing process of the Golden Gate Bridge.[8] A plaque honoring Ellis was installed on the south tower in 2012, to acknowledge his contributions.[9]
Notes
- ^ "A GUIDE TO THE CHARLES A. ELLIS PAPERS" (PDF). Purdue University. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ Morris (2004), p. 4.
- ^ "Golden Gate Bridge" (2004).
- ^ Morris (2004), pp. 4–5.
- ^ Daniels (2004).
- ^ Morris (2004), p.13.
- ^ Morris (2004), p.5.
- ^ Nolte, Carl (May 11, 2007). "Golden Gate Bridge engineer finally gets recognition". The San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ Calvey, Mark (May 25, 2012). "Historian says building San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge took courageous banker". www.bizjournals.com. San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
References
- Daniels, Maria (April 16, 2004). "People & Events: Charles Alton Ellis (1876–1949)". American Experience website. Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
- Longsworth, Laura, and Ben Loeterman (producers); Loeterman, Ben (writer, director); Rutenbeck, James (editor) (2004). "Golden Gate Bridge". American Experience. Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. yes. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
{{cite episode}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters:|city=and|seriesno=(help); External link in|transcripturl=|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|transcripturl=ignored (|transcript-url=suggested) (help) - Morris, Sammie (October 4, 2004). "A Guide to the Charles A. Ellis Papers" (PDF). Purdue University Libraries Archives and Special Collections. West Lafayette Indiana: Purdue University. pp. 4–5.
- van der Zee, John (2000). The Gate: The True Story of the Design and Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Backinprint.com. ISBN 978-0-595-09429-5.
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