Kristoffer Olsen Oustad

Who was Kristoffer Olsen Oustad?

Kristoffer Olsen Oustad was a Norwegian-American engineer who designed major structures in the United States. Often working together with three other Norwegian-American engineers he designed bridges and other buildings.

Oustad was born on the Oustad farm in Romedal Parish, Hedmark county in the historic region of Østlandet, Norway. He was educated at the Technical College in Trondhjem, graduating in 1882. He attended the Royal Saxon Polytechnicum in Dresden, Germany before emigrating to the United States.

He joined the Minneapolis City Engineer's Office in 1883 and became Municipal Bridge Engineer in 1893. Oustad designed the Cedar Avenue Bridge, assisted by Frederick T. Paul, assistant bridge engineer, under the direction of city engineer N.W. Elsberg. Oustad assisted Frederick William Cappelen in the design of the Third Avenue Bridge and the F.W. Cappelen Memorial Bridge. He completed the Cappelen Memorial Bridge when Cappelen died. Oustad retired in 1929, after the Cedar Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis was completed.