James P. Kirkwood

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James Pugh Kirkwood (1807 - April 22, 1877) was a 19th century American civil engineer.

He was born in Scotland in 1807. He worked for the Long Island Rail Road, and gained notice in 1848 for his construction of the Starrucca Viaduct near Lanesboro, Pennsylvania, considered to be the most expensive railroad bridge at the time, as well as the largest stone viaduct, and for its first use of concrete in American bridge construction. He arrived in St. Louis, Missouri in 1850 as chief engineer of the Pacific Railroad, and was responsible for the construction of the road from St. Louis to Pacific, Missouri. The town of Kirkwood, Missouri is named after him.

In 1865 he was appointed Chief Engineer in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, in charge of the design of a state-of-the-art waterworks. He served in that capacity until 1867, when he was replaced by Thomas Jefferson Whitman, brother of Walt Whitman.

In 1867 he moved back to New York and served as President of the American Society of Civil Engineers from 1867 to 1868.