Joseph Strauss

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For the composer, see Josef Strauss

For the naval officer, see Joseph Strauss (admiral)

See also: Joseph Straus

Joseph Baermann Strauss (January 9, 1870 – May 16, 1938) was an German-American structural engineer and designer.

He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio to an artistic family of German origin, having a mother who was a pianist and a father who was a writer and painter^[1]. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1892, serving as both class poet and president. Upon graduating from the University of Cincinnati, Strauss worked at the Office of Ralph Modjeski, where he began to innovate the design of bascule bridges. He was Chief Engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. He placed a brick from the demolished McMicken Hall at the University of Cincinnati in the south anchorage before the concrete was poured. Strauss was also designer of the Burnside Bridge (1926) and the Lewis and Clark Bridge (1930). He also wrote a poem saluting the Sequoia of Northern California and Southern Oregon. He died in Los Angeles, California, just one year after the Golden Gate's completion. His statue can be seen on the San Francisco side.

Strauss' father, Raphael Strauss (1830-1901), was a prominent painter, whose works included U.S. presidents. His pianist mother had an unfortunate accident which ultimately ended her concert career. Strauss' nephew, Ray Strauss (1907-1982), was a well-known, mid-century scarf designer in New York city.

In 1987, a major 50th anniversary celebration of the Golden Gate Bridge was held in San Francisco. Most recently, the Wall Street Journal published a March 17, 2007 article, "Spanning the Impossible," which commemorates Strauss' engineering marvel, in this its 70th year. His moving poem "Sequoia" can still be purchased by tourists visiting the California redwoods.

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