Tour the Projects: See the building of: The Hoover Dam, Mississippi Levees, The First Utility, Bridges of NYC, Boston's Big Dig
About the Series: Get information about the Great Projects programs on PBS
Interviews: Learn how America's engineering feats were accomplished
Test Your Knowledge: Take the Great Projects quiz
Student Resources: Access the best engineering schools, scholarship info, and bibliographies


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Tour the ProjectsElectric Nation


A Different Generator

A Different Generator

Insull pressed his engineers to innovate. On a trip home to his native England, he had seen a new kind of engine powering a speedboat—a turbine, or rotary, engine. In 1902, Insull convinced engineers at General Electric to build him the largest turbine engine in the world. No one knew if it would work; in fact, Insull's chief engineer warned that it might blow up. Not only did the turbine engine remain intact, it was soon replaced by one twice as big.

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Great Projects: The Building of America



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A Tale of Two Rivers

How engineers contained and controlled the Colorado and Mississippi rivers.

Electric Nation

Thomas Edison lights up New York City; Sam Insull brings power to Chicago; and TVA electrifies rural America

Bridging New York

Constructing the George Washington Bridge

The Big Dig

Putting a major highway under Boston
Produced By Great Projects home – tour the projects – about the series – interviews – test your knowledge – student resources

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