Halbert Powers Gillette (1869-1958) was an American engineer and prolific author of textbooks and handbooks for the engineering and construction fields. He is best known for his book Earthwork and Its Cost, which was first published in 1903 and remains a standard reference work for civil engineers to this day.
Gillette was born in Waverly, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in civil engineering in 1890. After graduation, he worked as an engineer on a number of construction projects, including the Panama Canal and the Chicago Drainage Canal.
In 1905, Gillette founded his own publishing company, Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc., which specialized in engineering and construction textbooks. He also began writing his own books, and over the course of his career he published over 30 titles, including:
- Earthwork and Its Cost (1903)
- Concrete Construction: Methods and Cost (1908)
- Handbook of Rock Excavation (1916)
- Cost Keeping and Management Engineering (1922)
- Handbook of Mechanical and Electrical Cost Data (1925)
Gillette's books were known for their accuracy, practicality, and clarity. He was also a pioneer in the use of illustrations and diagrams in his books, which made them more accessible and useful to engineers and contractors.
Gillette was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Railway Engineering Association. He was also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Gillette died on June 18, 1958, at the age of 88. He is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of engineering and construction publishing. His books have helped to educate and inform generations of engineers and contractors around the world.
Gillette's legacy continues to this day. His books are still widely used by engineers and contractors around the world, and they remain the standard reference works for many aspects of engineering and construction.
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