Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
October 3, 1923 A vehicular bridge in southern England’s town of Reading was inaugurated on a Wednesday marked by both rain and strong winds. The next day’s edition of the London-based Daily Telegraph reported on the debut of this structure. This newspaper stated, “With as much civic pomp as the wretched weather would permit the... Continue Reading →
October 2, 1902 Operations began for a lighthouse in England’s ceremonial county of East Sussex. This lighthouse is located in the part of the English Channel that is below the cliffs of the headland known as Beachy Head. It was built to replace the Belle Tout Lighthouse, which had been in service since 1834 and... Continue Reading →
October 1, 2005 A light rail station in the Fruitdale neighborhood of San Jose, California, made its official debut. This station, which was built near the intersection of Fruitdale Avenue and Southwest Expressway, is a link in the Santa Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail system serving that region of the Golden State. Fruitdale station... Continue Reading →
September 26, 1895 A complex of two railroad truss bridges in what was then the Kingdom of Romania was formally opened. (The Kingdom of Romania remained in existence until 1947, when it was replaced by the Romanian People’s Republic; that communist state – eventually renamed the Socialist Republic of Romania – stayed intact until 1989... Continue Reading →
September 25, 1845 Construction began on a lighthouse in the port city of Calais in northern France. This lighthouse was built as a navigational aid for vessels traveling through the Strait of Dover, a narrow but heavily used passage of water that separates France from England and marks the boundary between the English Channel and... Continue Reading →
September 24, 2004 In the westernmost region of Slovenia, a vehicular bridge crossing the Osp Valley and located near the village of Črni Kal was first opened to traffic. The Črni Kal Viaduct, which is part of the 152.4-mile (245.3-kilometer)-long A1 motorway (also called Slovenika), was jointly designed by Janez Kožel and Marjan Pipenbaher. Construction... Continue Reading →
September 23, 2017 The Taiping Sky Bridge in Meishan Township of southwestern Taiwan’s Chiayi County was opened for regular use by pedestrians. Measuring 921.9 feet (281 meters) in length, this footbridge holds the record as Taiwan’s longest suspension bridge. A little over a month after the Taiping Sky Bridge first went into daily service, it... Continue Reading →
September 19, 1981 A bridge spanning the Saint John River in Fredericton, the capital city of the Canadian province of New Brunswick was officially dedicated. This bridge is an extension of Westmorland Street in the central district of Fredericton and it connects that area with New Brunswick Route 105 in the city’s neighborhood of Nashwaaksis.... Continue Reading →
September 17, 1862 An unimposing bridge in Maryland played a pivotal role in one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. The Battle of Antietam, which was fought near the town of Sharpsburg, was the first major military engagement of that war to take place on Union soil. This battle also encompassed the... Continue Reading →
September 12, 1998 In the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, a light rail station in the Quatama area of the city of Hillsboro was officially opened. Originally known as Quatama/NW 205th Avenue Station, this facility is part of the regional light rail system known as the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX). This station is the eighth... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 