Lincoln Construction Co.

Lincoln Construction Co., also known as Lincoln Construction Company, was an American construction company based in Nebraska. Its documented work centers on bridge construction in the state during the period from 1913 to 1916. The company participated in the construction of several state-aid and county bridges, working alongside Nebraska state engineering and highway authorities that designed or supervised some of the projects. The company’s historical record combines significant surviving infrastructure with contemporary criticism of construction quality and financial performance. During an inspection of one of its bridges, a Nebraska state engineer judged the workmanship to be poor in overall appearance and recommended that payments be withheld until the deficiencies were corrected. The criticism illustrates the role of state inspection and payment controls in Nebraska’s early public-works contracting system, but the available record does not establish that all of the company’s projects suffered from the same problems. Lincoln Construction Co. is particularly notable because five bridges connected with the company have subsequently been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Cambridge State Aid Bridge, Carns State Aid Bridge, Deering Bridge, Stewart Bridge, and Sutherland State Aid Bridge. The projects span different parts of Nebraska and demonstrate the company’s involvement in crossings over the Republican River, Niobrara River, School Creek, Big Sandy Creek, and the North Platte River. In some cases, the company was identified as the builder while state agencies or state engineers were responsible for design. The company’s president, W. S. Collett, described the firm’s experience in the bridge business as financially disastrous and indicated that he was considering withdrawing while the company’s credit remained sound. The available source does not provide a precise incorporation date, ownership history, final closure date, workforce information, revenue figures, or a complete list of contracts. It therefore remains best understood as a historical Nebraska bridge contractor rather than as a continuing national construction brand.

Lincoln Construction Co. was a Nebraska-based American construction company active in bridge building during the early twentieth century. The available historical record places its documented construction activity between 1913 and 1916, a period when Nebraska was expanding and improving road connections across rivers and other waterways. Public agencies, state engineers, and county authorities played important roles in planning and supervising this infrastructure, while private contractors carried out construction work. The company’s documented portfolio includes bridges in several regions of Nebraska. It was associated with the Cambridge State Aid Bridge over the Republican River, the Carns State Aid Bridge over the Niobrara River, the Deering Bridge over School Creek, the Stewart Bridge over Big Sandy Creek, and the Sutherland State Aid Bridge over the North Platte River. The surviving descriptions indicate that responsibility was divided across projects: in some cases Nebraska state engineering or highway bodies designed or administered the work, while Lincoln Construction Co. served as builder. For the Sutherland bridge, the company is specifically associated with construction of the arches. The company also appears in records concerning public inspection and contractor payment. Following an inspection of one bridge, a state engineer characterized the workmanship as notably poor in overall appearance and advised that payments be suspended until the condition was improved. This episode reflects the accountability mechanisms used for public construction contracts, including technical inspection and the withholding of funds when work did not meet expectations. The source does not identify the bridge involved or provide a final determination about whether the cited defects were corrected. W. S. Collett, identified as the company’s president, later described the firm’s bridge-business experience as financially damaging. His comments conveyed concern about the company’s credit and suggested that leaving the business might be preferable to continuing under adverse financial conditions. The available material does not document the exact legal process by which the company ended operations, so the date and circumstances of its closure remain uncertain. Despite the negative contemporary assessment of at least one project and the company’s reported financial difficulties, five bridges associated with Lincoln Construction Co. have acquired lasting historical importance. Their National Register listings preserve evidence of Nebraska’s early transportation infrastructure and the construction methods and institutional relationships of the period. The company’s significance consequently rests less on continuing commercial activity than on its role in building surviving bridges that form part of the state’s architectural and engineering heritage.

• 1916

  Deering Bridge constructed

  [1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Lincoln Construction Co. is identified as builder of the Deering Bridge over School Creek, while the Nebraska Bureau of Roads & Bridges is identified as designer.

• 1915

  Sutherland State Aid Bridge completed

  [1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The Sutherland State Aid Bridge was completed during the documented 1914–1915 period, with design attributed to the Nebraska Bureau of Roads & Bridges and arch construction attributed to Lincoln Construction Co.

• 1914

  Sutherland State Aid Bridge work began

  [1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The Sutherland State Aid Bridge project began during the 1914–1915 period; Lincoln Construction Co. is associated with construction of its arches.

• 1913

  Carns State Aid Bridge constructed

  [1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Lincoln Construction Co. is identified as the builder of the Carns State Aid Bridge over the Niobrara River, with the Nebraska state engineer identified as designer.

• Five associated bridges received historic recognition

  [1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  The Cambridge, Carns, Deering, Stewart, and Sutherland bridges associated with Lincoln Construction Co. were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A historical Nebraska public-works contractor focused on bridge construction and related structural infrastructure during the 1910s.

• Bridge infrastructure

  Cambridge State Aid Bridge

  A bridge over the Republican River on Nebraska Highway 47, located south of Cambridge, Nebraska. It is associated with Lincoln Construction Co. and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Bridge infrastructure · 1913

  Carns State Aid Bridge

  A county-road bridge over the Niobrara River northeast of Bassett, Nebraska. The Nebraska state engineer is identified as designer and Lincoln Construction Co. as builder. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Bridge infrastructure · 1916

  Deering Bridge

  A county-road bridge over School Creek near Sutton, Nebraska. The Nebraska Bureau of Roads & Bridges is identified as designer and Lincoln Construction Co. as builder. The bridge dates to 1916 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Bridge infrastructure

  Stewart Bridge

  A county-road bridge over Big Sandy Creek in Nebraska, associated with both the Nebraska Highway Department and Lincoln Construction Co. It is one of the company-associated bridges listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Bridge infrastructure · 1914

  Sutherland State Aid Bridge

  A county-road bridge over the North Platte River north of Sutherland, Nebraska. The Nebraska Bureau of Roads & Bridges is identified as designer, while Lincoln Construction Co. built the arches. The documented construction period is 1914–1915, and the bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• Consideration of withdrawal from bridge contractingStrategy

  Background

  Company president W. S. Collett described the firm’s bridge-business experience as financially damaging and expressed concern about preserving the company’s credit.

  Action taken

  Collett indicated that ending or withdrawing from the bridge business might be preferable, although the available source does not confirm the exact action ultimately taken.

  Aftermath

  The company is documented as a historical contractor, but its precise closure date and final operating status are not established in the available material.

  Source

• State engineer criticized workmanship on a Lincoln Construction Co. bridge[1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  After inspecting one of the company’s bridges, a Nebraska state engineer reportedly found the overall workmanship poor in appearance and recommended withholding further payments until the deficiencies were remedied.

• Five Lincoln Construction Co. bridges entered the National Register of Historic Places[1]Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Five Nebraska bridges associated with the company were later recognized through listing on the National Register of Historic Places: Cambridge State Aid Bridge, Carns State Aid Bridge, Deering Bridge, Stewart Bridge, and Sutherland State Aid Bridge.

1. 1Lincoln Construction Co.en.wikipedia.org