James B. Eads

James B. Eads was a 19th-century American engineer and inventor known for pioneering river engineering projects. He designed innovative navigation improvements on the Mississippi River, including a series of rock embankments and jetties that stabilized the river's flow. These improvements greatly enhanced shipping safety and efficiency, reducing flooding and making river transportation more reliable. Eads also constructed the first steel bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louis. His work transformed river management, boosting commerce and development in the American Midwest.