Steel and Grit - (New York State) by Barbara Hansen Cali (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Straddling the Hudson where the river begins to narrow and twist in its journey, Bear Mountain Bridge stands as an elegant memorial to the shifting industrial culture of the United States between the two world wars. Once the longest suspension bridge in the world and meant to serve as a necessary industrial connector while preserving the region's scenic beauty, the Bear Mountain Bridge was a titanic undertaking that dramatically reshaped the Hudson Valley. Steel and Grit tells the story of the valley at a moment of great change.

Drawing on a trove of archival materials, Cali traces the Bear Mountain Bridge's construction, from the selection of the land to the role of Gilded Age icons such as E. H. Harriman and financier J. P. Morgan, to the formation of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and the New Jersey women's clubs that were pivotal to the fundraising efforts. Steel and Grit examines the importance of Bear Mountain Bridge, both as a symbol of twentieth-century American ingenuity and as an enduring steel symbol of the Hudson Valley.

Review Quotes

The Bear Mountain Bridge is an iconic part of the landscape of the Hudson River Valley. But its history has been complex--sometimes shrouded in fog like the river itself. The author dusts off the story that has been languishing in cabinets and archives across the Valley to weave together the complex story of what was once the world's longest single span suspension bridge. The details of this methodically researched book will entice even the most knowledgeable history buff, telling this history from a new and fascinating lens.-- "Matthew Shook, chief of staff, Palisades Park Commission"

About the Author

Barbara Hansen Cali is a Brooklyn-born amateur historian and retired management executive in commercial real estate and commercial construction industries. She was vice president of property management for the New Jersey Division of Reckson Associates. She is a member of the Orange County Historical Society and has published several articles in the Journal of the Orange County Historical Society and The Westchester Historian.