Crossing Under the Hudson

Angus Kress Gillespie, Professor of American Studies at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, will take a fresh look at the planning and construction of two key links in the transportation infrastructure of New York and New Jersey—the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels—on Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 pm at Bernardsville Public Library.

Dr. Gillespie will explore these two monumental works of civil engineering and the public that embraced them, describing the building of the tunnels and the people who worked there—then and now—and place the structures into a meaningful cultural context with the music, art, literature, and motion pictures that these tunnels, engineering marvels of their day, have inspired over the years.

Dr. Gillespie, who has written a book titled, “Crossing Under the Hudson: The Story of the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels,” is also a Fulbright professor and a New York Times best-selling author. A Yale University graduate, he did his graduate work in American Civilization at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The author of several books and numerous articles, Dr. Gillespie has a keen interest in iconic works of civil engineering. His scholarship deals with the design and construction of the built environment including works such as bridges, roads, canals, dams, buildings, and tunnels.

This program is funded by the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

There is no charge to attend the program, but advance sign-up is requested. Register online at www.bernardsvillelibrary.org and follow the link from Adult Programs, or call the library at 908-766-0118 to sign up.