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Pittsfield

(Encyclopedia)Pittsfield, city (1990 pop. 48,622), seat of Berkshire co., W Mass., between mountain ranges, on branches of the Housatonic River; inc. as a town 1761, as a city 1889. The city is the metropolis of th...

prefabrication

(Encyclopedia)prefabrication, in architectural construction, a technique whereby large units of a building are produced in factories to be assembled, ready-made, on the building site. The technique permits the spee...

viaduct

(Encyclopedia)viaduct vīˈədŭktˌ [key] [Lat.,=road conveyor], type of bridge for carrying a highway or railroad over a valley, over low ground, or over a road. It is commonly constructed in the form of several ...

Sparks

(Encyclopedia)Sparks, city (1990 pop. 53,367), Washoe co., W Nev., just E of Reno; inc. 1905. The Southern Pacific RR was the major employer until the dieselization of railroad engines forced the closing (1957) of ...

Bartlesville

(Encyclopedia)Bartlesville bärˈtəlzvĭl [key], city (2020 pop. 37,290), seat of Washington co., NE Okla., on the ...

Bellingham

(Encyclopedia)Bellingham bĕlˈĭnghămˌ [key], city (2020 pop. 91,482), seat of Whatcom co., NW Wash., a port of ...

Stafford

(Encyclopedia)Stafford, city (1991 pop. 60,915) and district, Staffordshire, W central England, on the Sow River, above its junction with the Trent. Stafford's chief industry is the manufacture of electrical goods;...

Roanoke, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Roanoke rōˈənōk [key], city (1990 pop. 96,397), independent and in no co., SW Va., on the Roanoke River; settled c.1740, inc. 1882, as a city, 1884. It is situated between the Blue Ridge and Alleg...

shaft sinking

(Encyclopedia)shaft sinking, excavation from the surface of an opening in the earth. Shafts, which are generally vertical, are usually distinguished from tunnels, which are horizontal. Little difficulty is experien...

Chu Hsi

(Encyclopedia)Chu Hsi jo͞o shē [key], 1130–1200, Chinese philosopher of Neo-Confucianism. While borrowing heavily from Buddhism, his new metaphysics reinvigorated Confucianism. According to Chu Hsi, the normati...