Kirkwood in St. Louis County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Remembering the Achievements of James P. Kirkwood
March 27, 1807 - April 22, 1877
— Co-Founder (1852) and Second President (1867-1868) of the American Society of Civil Engineers —
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 10, 2019
1. James P. Kirkwood Marker
James Pugh Kirkwood was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He came to the United States in 1832 and was appointed Resident Engineer for the Western Railway of Massachusetts, and later the Long Island Railroad. He won recognition for the rapid construction of the Great Starrucca Masonry Viaduct on the Erie Railroad in 1847, after which he became the Railroad's General Superintendent.
James Kirkwood came to St. Louis to be Chief Engineer for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in April 1850. His task was to lay out a route from St. Louis to the western border of Missouri. The chosen route, following the Meramec River to Gray's Summit and then along the Missouri River to Jefferson City, led to the founding of the City of Kirkwood. James Kirkwood resigned in 1852 due to poor health. In March 1865, the St. Louis Board of Water Commissioners made Kirkwood the Chief Engineer of the Water Division. He designed the City's first water treatment plant at Bissells Point, which was built in 1867 and served St. Louis until 1960. Kirkwood resigned in 1867 and returned to New York. James Kirkwood is the namesake of Kirkwood, Missouri and Kirkwood, New York.
Erected 2012 by St. Louis Section of ASCE.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts
this page online
Location. 38° 34.854′ N, 90° 24.427′ W. Marker is in Kirkwood, Missouri, in St. Louis County. Marker can be reached from West Argonne Drive, 0.1 miles west of South Kirkwood Road (U.S. 61/67), on the right when traveling east. Marker is located on the right side of Kirkwood Amtrak Station. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 110 West Argonne Drive, Saint Louis MO 63122, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Kirkwood City Council Shooting Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Kirkwood Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Argonne Drive (within shouting distance of this marker); Vietnam (within shouting distance of this marker); To Those Who Gave Their Lives In The Struggle For Freedom (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Vietnam (within shouting distance of this marker); First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood (approx. 0.2 miles away); James R. Shanks, Chaplain, 1st. Lt. (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kirkwood.
via ASCE, unknown
2. James Pugh Kirkwood
Also see . . . James P. Kirkwood Biography on ASCE. A more detailed biography on the American Society of Civil Engineers' website. (Submitted on October 10, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 10, 2019
3. James P. Kirkwood Marker
Kirkwood Amtrak Train Station is in the background
Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 10, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 751 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 10, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 2. submitted on June 7, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 3. submitted on October 10, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
