157 YEARS OF COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICE
 HARVEY A. JONES ENGINEERING CO., INC., was founded in 1852 by Martin O. Jones. Having traveled from New York to Missouri, Martin settled in this area and began his surveying career. In 1874, the United States government hired him to survey the Santa Fe Trail from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to Fort Union, New Mexico, in order to settle a dispute about mileage rates being paid to freight haulers. During his lifetime he surveyed a large portion of what is today the City of Independence and Eastern Jackson County.
Martin’s son, Robert H. Jones, took over the day-to-day operation of the business around the turn of the 20th Century. He was, at various times, the City Engineer for the City of Independence. Retiring in 1943, he turned the company over to his son, Harvey A. Jones.
 Harvey began working with his father in 1932, at the age of 21. He was actively involved in the Civil Engineering and Land Surveying fields for over 60 years. During this time he also served as Jackson County’s Highway Engineer (16 years). He felt that one of his greatest achievements was the creation of the Little Blue Valley Sewer District, and its infrastructure in Eastern Jackson County, Missouri. This project provided sewage treatment facilities for a large part of the county which had previously relied on lagoons, site treatment facilities and septic systems. A Professional Engineer and Registered Land Surveyor, Harvey was actively involved in many development projects. He came into the office almost daily until shortly before his death in May, 1997, at the age of 85.
 The fourth generation of the Jones family to take over the business was Harvey’s son, Robert H. Jones, who, starting at HAJ in 1971, served as President until October, 2004. At that time the ownership and presidency transferred to his wife, Christina, so that he could spend more time developing new projects for the company. Under their leadership, the Company continued to grow with a staff of Registered Land Surveyors and Professional Engineers, keeping pace with the current technologies and constantly looking for better ways to serve the community of the Greater Kansas City area and throughout the Midwest.
 Christina, the wife of past-President, Robert H. Jones, took over the ownership and daily operations as President in October, 2004. No stranger to the construction industry (she is the daughter of the late Kansas City architect, William B. Fullerton), she directed the daily operations, oversaw contract negotiations, and managed personnel.
Elbert M. Bridges
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Elbert M. Bridges has 38 years of experience in civil surveying, and has been licensed since 1989. Before owning his own company Mr. Bridges was in charge of survey crews for other companies, such as Renner & Associates, a survey Company in Blue Springs, Missouri, Ponzer - Youngquist, a civil engineering company based out of Olathe, Kansas, Universal Engineering based out of Huston, Texas, and Universal and Associates, based out of Port Gibson, Mississippi. Mr. Bridges also worked for the Mississippi Highway Department, as a draftsman after college.
In September 2008 Mr. Bridges acquired Harvey A. Jones Engineering and Surveying. Harvey A. Jones Engineering has been in continuous operation for 157 years. Mr. Bridges is Owner / Manager of Bridges Land Surveying Services, L.L.C. and President of Harvey A. Jones Engineering. He over sees all company personal, final plats, and surveys requiring his approval and seal. |
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