About
Remembered for his key role in the development of San Francisco's Clay Street Hill Railroad cable car system, he is also notable for his bridge building endeavors in Canada and the American West, as well as for his successful wire rope manufacturing business venture.
Before Fame
He moved to California in his teens and working in the gold mining, bridge construction, and surveying industries.
Trivia
In the late 1860s, he invented an aerial tram known as the "Hallidie ropeway."
Family Life
Born to Scottish parents Andrew and Julia Smith, he spent his youth in England and later relocated to the United States, where he met and married Martha Elizabeth Woods.
Associated With
He was a contemporary of fellow transportation entrepreneur and inventor Elijah McCoy.
