Chronicles of Mechanical Engineering in the United States

Edited by Thomas H. Fehring, P.E. and Terry S. Reynolds, Ph.D.
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Issued in commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of ASME’s history and heritage committee, this new book collects, in a single place, historical contributions published over the past fifty years in ASME’s flagship magazine: Mechanical Engineering.

Included in its 425 pages are almost 70 articles about the history of mechanical engineering in the United States, including accounts of engineering in early America, biographies of prominent mechanical engineers (particularly those associated with ASME’s founding), and essays relating to the role of mechanical engineering in energy, aviation, and other aspects of human life. The book is richly illustrated with over 250 photographs and other images.
 
From its organization in 1880, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has recorded the history of the mechanical engineering profession and the careers of some of its notable practitioners. These efforts were formalized in 1971 with the creation of a History and Heritage Committee.

In preparation for the United States’ bicentennial year, and later the Society’s centennial, the editors of Mechanical Engineering contracted with engineer-historian Fritz Hirschfeld for a long series of articles about the county’s early mechanical engineering heritage and the lives of notable mechanical engineers, particularly those associated with ASME’s founding. Hirschfeld’s articles form the foundation of this volume. To supplement Hirschfeld’s work, the editors have added numerous other historical articles published in the magazine.

The engineering innovations described by these articles have been enormously important to the development of modern technological society, and the stories behind their development should be of interest to engineers interested in the history of their profession, as well as anyone interested in American history.

Hardcover, color.

Purchase paperback black and white: asme.org/publications-submissions/books/find-book/chronicles-mechanical-engineering-united-states?productKey=356056:356056 

The PDF eBook edition is available on The ASME Digital Collection: www.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/