Daniel B. Luten
Encyclopedia
Daniel B. Luten also known as Daniel Benjamin Luten (Dec. 26, 1869-July 3, 1946) was an American
bridge builder and engineer based in Indianapolis, Indiana
.
He designed and patented the Luten arch
, a type of concrete arch bridge. He obtained more than 30 patents eventually, including various refinements of design that used transverse and other reinforcement which allowed bridges to be lighter.
"By 1919, Luten claimed to have designed some 17,000 arches, and stated that examples of his designs could be found in all but three states of the Union. Indiana alone had some 2,000 Luten arches."
He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
in 1869.
He graduated from the University of Michigan
in 1894, in civil engineering. He was an instructor, in architectural and sanitary engineering, for Purdue University
from 1895 to 1900. He resigned in 1900 to conduct the bridge company work.
A number of bridges that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
are credited to him, including (with specific attribution):
Additional Luten arch bridges are NRHP-listed that are attributed to the Luten Bridge Company
or to Topeka Bridge & Iron Co.
, two firms which had use of Luten's patented designs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bridge builder and engineer based in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
He designed and patented the Luten arch
Luten arch
A Luten arch is a patented concrete arch design for bridges, designed by Daniel B. Luten, of Indianapolis. Luten was awarded more than 30 patents for his improvements of the Luten arch design....
, a type of concrete arch bridge. He obtained more than 30 patents eventually, including various refinements of design that used transverse and other reinforcement which allowed bridges to be lighter.
"By 1919, Luten claimed to have designed some 17,000 arches, and stated that examples of his designs could be found in all but three states of the Union. Indiana alone had some 2,000 Luten arches."
He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
in 1869.
He graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1894, in civil engineering. He was an instructor, in architectural and sanitary engineering, for Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1895 to 1900. He resigned in 1900 to conduct the bridge company work.
A number of bridges that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
are credited to him, including (with specific attribution):
- Beck's Mill Bridge, Carries Beck's Mill Road over Mill Creek, Salem, IN (Luten, Daniel B.), NRHP-listed
- Canyon Padre Bridge, Abandoned grade of US 66 over Padre Canyon, Flagstaff, AZ (Luten,Daniel B.), NRHP-listed
- Carrollton Bridge, Carrollton Rd. across Wabash R., Delphi, IN (Luten, Daniel B.), NRHP-listed
- Holbrook Bridge, Abandoned grade of US 70 over the Little Colorado RiverLittle Colorado RiverThe Little Colorado River is a river in the U.S. state of Arizona, providing the principal drainage from the Painted Desert region. Together with its major tributary, the Puerco River, it drains an area of about in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico...
, 4.2 mi. SE of Holbrook, AZ (Luten,Daniel B.), NRHP-listed - Kelvin BridgeKelvin bridgeA Kelvin bridge is a measuring instrument invented by William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin. It is used to measure an unknown electrical resistance below 1 Ω. Its operation is similar to the Wheatstone bridge except for the presence of additional resistors...
, Florence-Kelvin Hwy. over the Gila RiverGila RiverThe Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
, Kelvin, AZ (Luten,Daniel), NRHP-listed - Putnam County Bridge No. 159, Co. Rd. 650 W. over Big Walnut Cr., Reelsville, IN (Luten, Daniel B.), NRHP-listed
- Moores Creek BridgeMoores Creek BridgeMoores Creek Bridge is an historic single span reinforced concrete bridge located on North 2nd Street between Avenues B and C in Fort Pierce, Florida. Including run up, it is 46 feet long. It is known locally as the Tickle Tummy Bridge or Tickle Tummy Hill because of its high arch relative to its...
, Fort Pierce, Florida - Winkelman Bridge, Old AZ 77 over the Gila River, Winkelman, AZ (Luten,Daniel), NRHP-listed
- Wolcott Bridge, CO 131 at milepost 0.07, Wolcott, CO (Luten, Daniel B.), NRHP-listed
Additional Luten arch bridges are NRHP-listed that are attributed to the Luten Bridge Company
Luten Bridge Company
Luten Bridge Company was a bridge building company based in Knoxville, Tennessee in the early- to mid-20th century. The firm built Luten arch and other types of bridges.-Luten Bridge Co. vs. Rockingham County:...
or to Topeka Bridge & Iron Co.
Topeka Bridge & Iron Co.
Topeka Bridge & Iron Co. was a bridge company. Its works include many bridges that are now listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Its Canyon Diablo Bridge was a concrete Luten arch bridge built in 1914...
, two firms which had use of Luten's patented designs.