The book chronicles the 1913-1914 construction of the Norfolk & Western railroad viaduct, High Bridge, near Farmville, Virginia, using 77 images from photographs created by Willis Vail, resident engineer for the N&W Railway, as originally recorded on 4x5-inch glass negatives. Image captions are based on Vail's own descriptions. This is the first time that these historic images have been gathered together in book form. This book presents readers with the exciting grandeur of early construction machinery and techniques, and provides a glimpse into the casual bravery and dedication of the men who built one of the most important bridges in America. The text describes the people, equipment, and methods used to build historic High Bridge in an easy to understand manner without being overly technical. Today, High Bridge stands as the centerpiece of Virginia's High Bridge Trail State Park, a 31-mile-long public trail created from the abandoned railroad line.