Charles Alton Ellis

Charles Alton Ellis (1876 – 1949) was a professor, structural engineer and mathematician who was chiefly responsible for the structural design of the Golden Gate Bridge.^[1] Because of a dispute with Joseph Strauss, he was not recognized for his work when the bridge opened in 1937. His contributions were ultimately recognized at the bridge in a plaque installed in 2012.

Charles Alton Ellis
Born	1876 Parkman, Maine
Died	August 22, 1949(1949-08-22) (aged 72–73) Evanston, Illinois
Occupation	structural engineer
Known for	Designing the Golden Gate Bridge structure

Early life and education

Ellis was born in Parkman, Maine in 1876.

He earned a degree in mathematics from Wesleyan University (where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity). In 1922, he received his graduate certificate in engineering (C.E.) from the University of Illinois.^[2][3]

Career

Ellis took a post at the American Bridge Company, where he worked on the stresses of subway tunnels crossing the Hudson River.^[4] Ellis completed coursework to extend his knowledge of structural engineering at the University of Illinois.

In 1922 he was expert enough to author a benchmark textbook in the field, Essentials in the Theory of Framed Structures.^[4][5]

Ellis began working on the Golden Gate Bridge in 1922, the same year he gained his engineering certificate from University of Illinois. He remained with the project until December 1931. He then opened a consultancy practice in Chicago, working as an advisor to the Public Works Administration.^[6]

During his career, he was a professor at the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois, and Purdue University.^[6] His papers are held at the Purdue University library.

Golden Gate Bridge structural design

Ellis was responsible for the structural design of the bridge, working from the overall design by Strauss.

A dispute over the time it was taking to complete the design led Strauss to accuse Ellis of wasting time and money, and to dismiss him from the project.^[4] The copy of the engineering drawings for the Golden Gate Bridge on file at the Library of Congress is signed by Ellis,^[7] but the plaque placed on the bridge in 1937 did not give him any credit.^[8]

In 2012, Ellis was officially given recognition for his part in the designing process of the Golden Gate Bridge when a plaque ^[9] was installed on the south tower to acknowledge his contributions.^[10]

References

1. "A GUIDE TO THE CHARLES A. ELLIS PAPERS" (PDF). Purdue University. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
2. Morris 2004, p. 4.
3. PBS 2004.
4. Daniels 2004.
5. Ellis, Charles Alton (2015) [1922]. Essentials in the Theory of Framed Structures. Creative Media Partners. ISBN 9781298169228. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
6. Morris 2004, pp. 4–5.
7. Morris 2004, p. 13.
8. Morris 2004, p. 5.
9. Nolte, Carl (May 11, 2007). "Golden Gate Bridge engineer finally gets recognition". The San Francisco Chronicle.
10. Calvey, Mark (May 25, 2012). "Historian says building San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge took courageous banker". San Francisco Business Times. Retrieved April 5, 2020.

Bibliography

• Daniels, Maria (April 16, 2004). "People & Events: Charles Alton Ellis (1876–1949)". American Experience website. Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
• Longsworth, Laura, and Ben Loeterman (producers); Loeterman, Ben (writer, director); Rutenbeck, James (editor) (2004). "Golden Gate Bridge". American Experience. Public Broadcasting Service. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. yes. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
• Morris, Sammie (October 4, 2004). "A Guide to the Charles A. Ellis Papers" (PDF). Purdue University Libraries Archives and Special Collections. West Lafayette Indiana: Purdue University. pp. 4–5.
• van der Zee, John (2000). The Gate: The True Story of the Design and Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Backinprint.com. ISBN 978-0-595-09429-5.