Jeff Brouws, SILENT MONOLITHS: The Coaling Tower Project

A fine art photography must-have for railroad enthusiasts and anyone interested in the industrial golden era.

In 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. Essays 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.

Jeff Brouws is a photographer, writer, and graphic designer. His publications include Various Small Books (MIT Press), Approaching Nowhere, Readymades, and Highway. 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.