Weitzman, David. Skywalkers: Mohawk Ironworkers Build the City

Weitzman, David Skywalkers: Mohawk Ironworkers Build the City
Roaring Brook Press see Macmillan children's pub 2010 124p 19.99 978-1-59643-162-1 ms/hs Mohawk Indians, Bridge building E-BN


The Mohawk ironworkers were instrumental in constructing many of the bridges and skyscrapers that fueled the industrialization of the United States at the turn of the twentieth century.
This book describes the work of these indomitable fashioners of metal. "Legend has it that much of Manhattan was built by Mohawk ironworkers, and legend, in this case, is right." (Bayliss 2002) The Mohawk ironworkers were instrumental in constructing many of the bridges and skyscrapers that fueled the industrialization of the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. This book describes the work of these indomitable fashioners of metal. It begins with a discussion of the Iroquois Federation of the Six Nations and the place of the Mohawk tribe within this structure and continues with an analysis of the ways that they coped with the changing times. Their Native Reserves lay just north of the New York-Canadian border and they first worked as boatmen transporting goods. As more and more bridges were built that removed their employment, they moved into the more skilled bridge building trades in the late 1880s. Not all of their work was without danger; many died on the job. Weitzman devotes a chapter to the infamous construction and collapse of the Quebec Bridge in 1907 that resulted in the deaths of 75 men, many from the same town.
This fascinating book is well organized and clearly written and offers a insightful look into the topic. It provides a balanced and succinct explanation of the history and development of the Mohawk╒s ╥booming out,╙ their part in the building of bridges and skyscrapers, and is a very useful and attractive resource. Primary source information, exceptional period photographs, black-and-white drawings, and illustrations of bridges, with many of the parts carefully labeled enhanced the book. The book ends with a glossary, extensive chapter notes, and an index. This well-balanced, succinct, and lucid treatment of the topic is sure to appeal to readers. It will be wonderful for both research and browsing. Ogintz, Susan