William S. Hewett
Encyclopedia
William S. Hewett was a major bridge contractor in the Minneapolis area from the 1890s until well into the 20th century. His firm designed and built a number of bridges for the Twin City Rapid Transit
Company when it was electrifying and expanding its system around the turn of the 20th century.
Bridges built by Hewett's firm used included some of the earliest reinforced concrete bridges built using the Melan system invented by Viennese
engineer Josef Melan
and patented in the United States in 1894. Hewett probably became familiar with the Melan system when working with his uncle's construction firm in northwest Iowa
. Hewett's firm also designed Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247
in Como Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota
. These two bridges also crossed the Twin City Rapid Transit line.
Hewett performed other pioneering work with reinforced concrete
and prestressed concrete
. In 1907, he formed the Security Bridge Company, and he established Hewett Systems in 1913.
Hewett also built the reinforced concrete Washburn Water Tower in Minneapolis.
Other bridges built by Hewett include:
Twin City Rapid Transit
The Twin City Rapid Transit Company , also known as Twin City Lines , was a transportation company that operated streetcars, and buses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota...
Company when it was electrifying and expanding its system around the turn of the 20th century.
Bridges built by Hewett's firm used included some of the earliest reinforced concrete bridges built using the Melan system invented by Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
engineer Josef Melan
Josef Melan
Josef Melan was an Austrian engineer. He is regarded as one of the most important pioneers of reinforced concrete bridge-building at the end of the 19th century. Josef Melan is credited as the inventor of the Melan System, a method for the construction of reinforced bridges...
and patented in the United States in 1894. Hewett probably became familiar with the Melan system when working with his uncle's construction firm in northwest Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Hewett's firm also designed Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247
Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247
Bridges No. L-5853 and 92247 are two side-by side bridges in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They were built in 1904 over the Como-Harriet streetcar line, connecting the nearby Twin City Rapid Transit Company station to the line running west to Minneapolis; Bridge No. 92247 carries traffic on Lexington...
in Como Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. These two bridges also crossed the Twin City Rapid Transit line.
Hewett performed other pioneering work with reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
and prestressed concrete
Prestressed concrete
Prestressed concrete is a method for overcoming concrete's natural weakness in tension. It can be used to produce beams, floors or bridges with a longer span than is practical with ordinary reinforced concrete...
. In 1907, he formed the Security Bridge Company, and he established Hewett Systems in 1913.
Hewett also built the reinforced concrete Washburn Water Tower in Minneapolis.
Other bridges built by Hewett include:
- Bridge No. 1482, Luverne, MinnesotaLuverne, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 4,617 people, 1,968 households, and 1,247 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,356.1 people per square mile . There were 2,161 housing units at an average density of 634.7 per square mile...
(1908) - Colton's Crossing Bridge, Lisbon, North DakotaLisbon, North DakotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 2,292 people, 948 households, and 571 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,019.7 people per square mile . There were 1,017 housing units at an average density of 452.4 per square mile...
(1907) - Forsyth Bridge, Forsyth, MontanaForsyth, MontanaForsyth is a city in and the county seat of Rosebud County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,944 at the 2000 census. Forsyth was established in 1876 as the first settlement on the Yellowstone River, and in 1882 residents named the town after General James William Forsyth who commanded...
(1905) - Interlachen BridgeInterlachen BridgeThe Interlachen Bridge is a reinforced concrete arch bridge on William Berry Parkway between Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The bridge crosses the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, a heritage streetcar line operated by the Minnesota Streetcar Museum which follows the same...
, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
(1900) - Joliet Bridge, Joliet, MontanaJoliet, MontanaJoliet is a town in Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 575 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joliet is located at .-Notable residents:...
(1901) - Melan Bridge, Rock Ridge, Iowa (1893)
- Old Yankton Bridge, Sioux Falls, South DakotaSioux Falls, South DakotaSioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
(1895) - South Dakota Dept. of Transportation Bridge No. 25-380-142, Zell, South DakotaZell, South DakotaZell is an unincorporated community in Faulk County, South Dakota, United States, near Rockham.Current Population hovers around fifty.To the east is Redfield, to the west is Rockham, to the north is Aberdeen....
(1902) - Walnut Street BridgeWalnut Street Bridge (Mazeppa, Minnesota)The Walnut Street Walking Bridge crosses the Zumbro River in Mazeppa, Minnesota. This bridge was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2003. This bridge was built in 1904 and is a Pratt truss bridge. Almost lost in a flood caused by severe thunderstorms in June 1998 and having...
, Mazeppa, MinnesotaMazeppa, MinnesotaMazeppa is a city in Wabasha County, Minnesota, United States, along the North Fork of the Zumbro River. The population was 842 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
(1904)