{"product_id":"silent-monoliths-the-coaling-tower-project-hardcover","title":"Silent Monoliths: The Coaling Tower Project - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJeff Brouws\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eJohn P. Hankey\u003c\/b\u003e (Introduction by), \u003cb\u003eMarcella Hackbardt\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA beautifully arresting photographic record of North American coaling towers, which once fueled steam locomotives and powered the country. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA fine art photography must-have for railroad enthusiasts and anyone interested in the industrial golden era. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 1906, America commenced a major railroad modernization project, driven by massive industrial era investment and development. A lasting symbol of this time in history remains today: the imposing coaling towers that pepper the country and which once held the coal that powered steam locomotives. Over the course of five years and 20,000 miles, photographer Jeff Brouws documented these towers. \u003ci\u003eSilent Monoliths\u003c\/i\u003e tells their story. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe towers, built of concrete, a modern material with historical roots traceable to the Roman aqueducts, were constructed to replace aging (and less fire-retardant and less efficient) wooden coaling wharves and chutes. As the railroads transitioned from steam to diesel in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s, most of these coaling towers slipped into obsolescence--some demolished, others \"retired-in-place\" and left standing. As a result of the latter, many examples of these sculptural, architectonic remnants of industrial brawn stand in silence across North America--from Flomaton, Alabama, to the northernmost reaches of Ontario, Canada; as far west as Glenns Ferry, Idaho, to the eastern seaboard in New Haven, Connecticut. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eEssays from industrial and railroad historian John Hankey and art historian Marcella Hackbardt illuminate the significance of these otherworldly relics. In the spirit of Hilla and Bernd Becher, Brouws' photographic portfolio presents over 105 examples of these austere monoliths, conveying their unique place in cultural history.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJeff Brouws\u003c\/b\u003e is a photographer, writer, and graphic designer. His publications include \u003ci\u003eVarious Small Books\u003c\/i\u003e (MIT Press), \u003ci\u003eApproaching Nowhere\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eReadymades\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eHighway\u003c\/i\u003e. His photographs are held in major museum collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Fogg Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and the Getty Museum. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarcella Hackbardt\u003c\/b\u003e is a writer, curator, visual artist, and professor of art and photography at Kenyon College. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eJohn P. Hankey\u003c\/b\u003e served the B\u0026amp;O Railroad in a variety of capacities, including as company historian, locomotive engineer, and Curator of the B\u0026amp;O Railroad Museum. He has published over 100 articles.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 216\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 x 10.3 x 8.2 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 17, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51978293182765,"sku":"9780262051750","price":36.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0938\/3185\/6429\/files\/DhRqJ_gWd49780262051750.webp?v=1775801487","url":"https:\/\/ishookbooks.com\/products\/silent-monoliths-the-coaling-tower-project-hardcover","provider":"iShook Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}