Skip to main content

1980

Nebraska Tractor Test Lab
Society: ASABE Main Category: Agricultural & Biological Sub Category: Vehicles Era: 1920s DateCreated: 1920 Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory Lincoln State: NE Zip: 68583 Country: USA Website: https://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/asabe-historic-landmarks/nebraska-tractor-14.aspx Creator:

The First Official Nebraska Tractor Test was Started in this Building March 31, 1920. These Pioneer Tests Became Worldwide Standards and are Recognized by The American Society of Agricultural Engineers as an Historic Landmark of Agricultural Engineering. 1980

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/pscf11 (CC BY-SA 2.0) Image Caption: John Deere 8360RT (lead tractor) under test at the University of Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory. Era_date_from:
Farmall Row Crop Tractor
Society: ASABE Main Category: Agricultural & Biological Sub Category: Vehicles Era: 1920s DateCreated: 1923 International Harvester Agricultural Equipment Engineering Center Burr Ridge State: IL Zip: 60527 Country: USA Website: https://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/asabe-historic-landmarks/farmall-12.aspx Creator: Benjamin, Bert R.

The First Successful Row Crop Tractor Invented by Bert R. Benjamin (ASAE Member) was Operated and Tested on this Farm in 1923. Increased Row Crop Clearance and Overall Versatility Extending the Use of the Tractor to Cultivating, Accelerated the Conversion from Animal Power to Machine and Marked a New Era in American Agricultural Efficiency and Productivity. Dedicated by The American Society of Agricultural Engineers 1980

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain Image Caption: Era_date_from:
Saturn V Rocket
Society: ASME Main Category: Aerospace & Aviation Sub Category: Air and Space Transportation Era: 1960-1969 DateCreated: 1967 John F. Kennedy Space Center Orlando State: FL Zip: 32899 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/air-and-space-transportation/-54-saturn-v-rocket-%281967%29, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/fb4f1d1d-a005-46d5-b237-19f15b8e6549/52-Saturn-V-Rocket.aspx Creator: NASA

The largest rocket built at the time of the historic first missions to the moon, the Saturn V carried aloft the 45-ton Apollo spacecraft on earth orbital and lunar missions from 1967 to 1972. It also launched the 120-ton Skylab into earth orbit on May 14, 1973. 

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (NASA) Image Caption: The largest rocket engines built at the time of the first US missions to the moon. Era_date_from: 1967
Watkins Woolen Mill
Society: ASME Main Category: Mechanical Sub Category: Manufacturing Era: 1860-1869 DateCreated: 1868 Watkins Woolen Mill State Park Kearney State: MO Zip: 64060 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/manufacturing---1/-43-watkins-woolen-mill-%281868%29, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/705d5611-da21-47b3-b584-1e33e1c0b9df/43-Watkins-Woolen-Mill.aspx Creator: Watkins, Waltus

The Watkins Woolen Mill is among the best preserved examples of a Midwest woolen mill in nineteenth-century United States. Its machinery for preparing, spinning, and weaving wool reflects the existence of well-established textile industry in the country. It was designed and built by Waltus L. Watkins (1806-1884), a machinist and master weaver from Frankfort, Kentucky, who began operating his mill in 1861 in Clay County.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (National Park Service) Image Caption: Watkins Woolen Mill Era_date_from: 1868
Springfield Armory
Society: ASME Main Category: Mechanical Sub Category: Manufacturing Era: 1750-1799 DateCreated: 1794 202-206 Pearl Street Springfield State: MA Zip: 01105 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/manufacturing---1/-41-springfield-armory-%281794%29 Creator: Blanchard, Thomas, Buckland, Cyrus, Knox, Henry, Warner, Thomas, Washington, George

George Washington's concern over standardization of rifles for the Continental Army led to the formation of national armory and to his selection of Springfield as its site. Completed in 1794, it was the first national armory in the United States. Like the Robbins and Lawrence Armory, the Springfield Armory was an outstanding machining center for the design and mass production, employing notable engineers such as Thomas Blanchard (1788-1864), Thomas Warner, and Cyrus Buckland.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Image Caption: This illustration from 1850 shows the growth of Springfield Armory since its inception in 1794. The building in the foreground is the Main Arsenal building that acts as the Springfield Armory National Historic Site visitor center today. Era_date_from: 1794
Shippingport Nuclear Power Station
Society: ASME Main Category: Electric, Mechanical Sub Category: Nuclear Era: 1950-1959 DateCreated: 1958 Duquesne Light Company
Shippingport State: PA Zip: 15050 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/electric-power-production-nuclear/-47-shippingport-nuclear-power-station-%281958%29, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/c64a220f-030c-4384-8336-7d9857248322/47-Shippingport-Nuclear-Power-Station.aspx Creator: Duquesne Light Company

The first commercial central electric-generating station in the United States to use nuclear energy was the Shippingport Atomic Power Station of the Department of Energy and the Duquesne Light Company. In a dramatic high-tech display, ground was broken in 1954 during dedication ceremonies by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who also opened it on May 26, 1958, as part of his "Atoms for Peace" program. Shippingport is located on the Ohio River about 25 miles from Pittsburgh.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (National Park Service) Image Caption: Shippingport Nuclear Power Station Era_date_from: 1958
Port Washington Power Plant
Society: ASME Main Category: Electric, Mechanical Sub Category: Steam Era: 1930-1939 DateCreated: 1935 Wisconsin Electric Power Company Milwaukee State: WI Zip: 52303 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/electric-power-production-steam/-51-port-washington-power-plant-%281935%29 Creator: Wisconsin Electric Company

The Port Washington Power Plant of the Wisconsin Electric Company was the most thermally efficient steam power plant in the world for many years following its opening in 1935. Its design reflected the cumulative experience of the utility's engineers in burning pulverized coal at the Oneida Street Plant and the Lakeside Station in Milwaukee.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Courtesy ASME Image Caption: The dedication of Port Washington Power Plant coincided with the 100th anniversary of the founding of the city in which it is located. Era_date_from: 1935
Pioneer Zephyr
Society: ASME Main Category: Mechanical Sub Category: Rail Transportation Era: 1930-1939 DateCreated: 1934 Museum of Science and Industry Chicago State: IL Zip: Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-m-z/rail-transportation---1/-58-pioneer-zephyr-%281934%29, https://www.asme.org/getmedia/ce78f690-8505-4687-9a2a-0b39b5876006/58-Pioneer-Zephyr-1934.aspx Creator: Budd Company

In the late 1920s, the automobile cut railroad passenger service by more than half. The debut of the Pioneer Zephyr heralded a comeback in 1934, touring the country and being seen by some two million people in 222 cities.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Courtesy Flickr/Steve Wilson (CC BY 2.0) Image Caption: Pioneer Zephyr Era_date_from: 1934
Society: ASME Main Category: Mechanical, Electric Sub Category: Water Era: 1920-1929 DateCreated: 1929 Metropolitan Edison Power Co. Muhlenberg State: PA Zip: 19605 Country: USA Website: http://www.asme.org/about-asme/history/landmarks/topics-a-l/electric-power-production-water/-57-kaplan-turbine-%281929%29 Creator: Kaplan, Viktor
This Kaplan turbine is one of the first three machines to be put into service in the United States. Named for its Austrian inventor, Viktor Kaplan (1876-1934), the turbine was an outstanding innovation, operating with a high, nearly constant efficiency over a wide load range. The machine was built by S. Morgan Smith Company of York, Pennsylvania.
YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (United States Arm0 Image Caption: Kaplan Turbine Era_date_from: 1929
Goodyear Airdock
Society: ASCE Main Category: Aerospace & Aviation Sub Category: Aviation Era: 1920-1929 DateCreated: 1929 Fulton International Airport (AKC) Akron State: OH Zip: 44306 Country: USA Website: http://www.asce.org/Project/Goodyear-Airdock/ Creator: Arnstein, Karl , Wilbur Watson Engineering Company

Wind dynamics were a major consideration in building such a huge structure. When winds blow against the building, they are deflected up over the roof, creating a partial vacuum that can draw the roof up with a force several times greater than the direct force of the wind. Wind tunnel testing on a model helped designers decide that a semi-parabolic shape would best resolve air current concerns.

YearAdded:
1980
Image Credit: Public Domain (National Park Service) Image Caption: Goodyear Airdock Era_date_from: 1929
Subscribe to 1980

Innovations

This machine, which began operation on December 15, 1891, for the New York Edison Illuminating Company, represents the beginning of large-scale electric power generation in the United States. The generator was designed by chief engineer John Van Vleck, David Joy (known in England for his valve…

Read More
Rocky River Pumped-storage Hydroelectric Plant

The Connecticut Light & Power Company pioneered the use of pumped storage in the United States at this hydroelectric station. First operated in 1929, the Rocky River Plant had two reversible pumps that somewhat resemble large hydroelectric turbines. This permitted significant improvements in…

Read More
This is the first commercial, human-blood heat exchanger. Developed in 1957, it permitted a patient's body temperature to be safely and rapidly lowered during open heart surgery to any desired and precisely controlled hypothermic level, then during the conclusion of the operation rapidly rewarmed… Read More
Formerly known as the Oneida Street Power Plant, this plant served from 1918 to 1920 as the pilot plant in the United States for the development and use of finely pulverized coal firing in the boilers of steam-electric power plants. The results of the Oneida experiences were major changes in boiler… Read More

The use of heat pumps for the heating and cooling of the Commonwealth Building, initiated in 1948, was a pioneering achievement in the western hemisphere. The theoretical conception of the heat pump was described in a neglected book, published in 1824 and written by a young French army officer,…

Read More

The Cooperative Fuel Research (CFR) engine is used extensively throughout the world for testing, research, and instruction in the performance of fuels and lubricants for the internal combustion engine. Principal design work on this prototype engine was accomplished by engineers of Waukesha Motor…

Read More
Edison 'Jumbo' Engine-Driver Dynamo

This dynamo, connected directly to a high-speed steam engine, was one of six that produced direct current at Thomas A. Edison's electric power station at 257 Pearl Street in New York City. The Pearl Street Station was the prototype for central station power generation. Edison set out in 1878 to…

Read More
This fusion-welded drum, tested during 1930, was the first in a series tested at Combustion Engineering Inc. that led to the industrial acceptance of welding for the fabrication of boiler drums. Replacing riveting for steam power plants, electric arc fusion welding permitted increased efficiencies… Read More
The Georgetown Steam Plant, a surprisingly complete and operable steam power plant after a career of nearly seventy-five years, was built in the early 1900s when Seattle's inexpensive hydroelectric power attracted manufacturers. Much of the power produced at this plant operated the streetcars. It… Read More
Georgetown Steam Hydro Generating Plant

The Georgetown Steam Plant, a surprisingly complete and operable steam power plant after a career of nearly seventy-five years, was built in the early 1900s when Seattle's inexpensive hydroelectric power attracted manufacturers. Much of the power produced at this plant operated the streetcars.…

Read More
Goodyear Airdock

Wind dynamics were a major consideration in building such a huge structure. When winds blow against the building, they are deflected up over the roof, creating a partial vacuum that can draw the roof up with a force several times greater than the direct force of the wind. Wind tunnel testing on…

Read More
This Kaplan turbine is one of the first three machines to be put into service in the United States. Named for its Austrian inventor, Viktor Kaplan (1876-1934), the turbine was an outstanding innovation, operating with a high, nearly constant efficiency over a wide load range. The machine was built… Read More
Pioneer Zephyr

In the late 1920s, the automobile cut railroad passenger service by more than half. The debut of the Pioneer Zephyr heralded a comeback in 1934, touring the country and being seen by some two million people in 222 cities.

The Zephyr was the first diesel-powered, stainless-steel…

Read More
Port Washington Power Plant

The Port Washington Power Plant of the Wisconsin Electric Company was the most thermally efficient steam power plant in the world for many years following its opening in 1935. Its design reflected the cumulative experience of the utility's engineers in burning pulverized coal at the Oneida…

Read More
Shippingport Nuclear Power Station

The first commercial central electric-generating station in the United States to use nuclear energy was the Shippingport Atomic Power Station of the Department of Energy and the Duquesne Light Company. In a dramatic high-tech display, ground was broken in 1954 during dedication ceremonies by…

Read More
Springfield Armory

George Washington's concern over standardization of rifles for the Continental Army led to the formation of national armory and to his selection of Springfield as its site. Completed in 1794, it was the first national armory in the United States. Like the Robbins and Lawrence Armory, the…

Read More
Watkins Woolen Mill

The Watkins Woolen Mill is among the best preserved examples of a Midwest woolen mill in nineteenth-century United States. Its machinery for preparing, spinning, and weaving wool reflects the existence of well-established textile industry in the country. It was designed and built by Waltus L.…

Read More
Saturn V Rocket

The largest rocket built at the time of the historic first missions to the moon, the Saturn V carried aloft the 45-ton Apollo spacecraft on earth orbital and lunar missions from 1967 to 1972. It also launched the 120-ton Skylab into earth orbit on May 14, 1973. 

Design and…

Read More
Farmall Row Crop Tractor

The First Successful Row Crop Tractor Invented by Bert R. Benjamin (ASAE Member) was Operated and Tested on this Farm in 1923. Increased Row Crop Clearance and Overall Versatility Extending the Use of the Tractor to Cultivating, Accelerated the Conversion from Animal Power to Machine…

Read More
Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

The First Official Nebraska Tractor Test was Started in this Building March 31, 1920. These Pioneer Tests Became Worldwide Standards and are Recognized by The American Society of Agricultural Engineers as an Historic Landmark of Agricultural Engineering. 1980

We hope you enjoyed this essay.

Please support America's only magazine of the history of engineering and innovation, and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to Invention & Technology.

Donate

Stay informed - subscribe to our newsletter.
The subscriber's email address.