Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge (March 8, 1860 – November 10, 1932) was a businessman and promoter of patent

fiberboard Fiberboard (American English) or fibreboard (Commonwealth English) is a type of engineered wood product that is made out of wood fibers. Types of fiberboard (in order of increasing density) include particle board or low-density fiberboard (LDF ...

, and the first chairman of the interstate agency known then as the Port of New York Authority. The Outerbridge Crossing, a Port Authority bridge, was named for him.

Biography

Eugenius was born on March 8, 1860, in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, to Bermudians Alexander Ewing Outerbridge I and Laura Catherine Harvey. His sister, Mary Ewing Outerbridge, was the founder, in 1874, of American lawn

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

which was the progenitor of modern tennis. His other siblings include Albert Albany Outerbridge, Sir Joseph Outerbridge (1843–1933), August Emelio Outerbridge (1846–1921), Harriett Harvey Outerbridge, Alexander Ewing Outerbridge II, Laura Catharine Outerbridge and Adolph John Harvey Outerbridge (1858–1928). Outerbridge incorporated the Agasote Millboard Company in 1909 to produce a high-density

. The company used the material to produce roof panels for railroad cars and automobiles. In 1916, the company introduced Vehisote, a versatile fiberboard made from recycled materials, made by the company in West Trenton, New Jersey. Both the product and the company were later renamed as Homasote, and remain in active production . Outerbridge was the first chairman of the Port of New York Authority, now the

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, (PANYNJ; stylized, in logo since 2020, as Port Authority NY NJ) is a joint venture between the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and New Jersey, established in 1921 through an interstate c ...

. The new authority was founded on April 30, 1921, and was the first interstate agency created under a clause of the US Constitution permitting compacts between states. Outerbridge was among the founding organizers of the Richmond County Country Club on

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

in 1888. He was a longtime member of the Union Club of the City of New York and, until his death, he was chairman of the Building Committee in charge of planning the 69th Street clubhouse.Archives of the Union Club of the City of New York. He died on November 10, 1932, at 950

Park Avenue Park Avenue is a boulevard in New York City that carries north and southbound traffic in the borough (New York City), boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. For most of the road's length in Manhattan, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the wes ...

Manhattan, New York City Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York. Located almost entire ...

Legacy

The Outerbridge Crossing, a toll bridge between Staten Island, New York, and Perth Amboy, New Jersey, is named in his honor. It opened on June 29, 1928.

Timeline

* 1860 Birth * 1880 US Census with Eugenius Outerbridge * 1909 Starts Agasote Millboard Company * 1916 Homasote * 1921 Starts tenure at Port of New York Authority * 1924 Ends tenure at Port of New York Authority * 1928 Outerbridge Crossing named for him on June 20 * 1932 Death

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Outerbridge, Eugenius Harvey 1860 births 1932 deaths Businesspeople from Philadelphia Port Authority of New York and New Jersey people American people of Bermudian descent Chairmen of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Biography

Legacy

Timeline

See also

References

External links