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Apr 19, 2024 · Brooklyn Bridge, suspension bridge spanning the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan in New York City. A brilliant feat of 19th-century engineering, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire, and during its construction explosives were used inside a pneumatic caisson for the first time.
- The Man with The Plan
- A Perilous Process
- A Bridge Unveiled
John Augustus Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge’s creator, was a great pioneer in the design of steel suspension bridges. Born in Germany in 1806, he studied industrial engineering in Berlin and at the age of 25 immigrated to western Pennsylvania, where he attempted, unsuccessfully, to make his living as a farmer. He later moved to the state capital in...
To achieve a solid foundation for the bridge, workers excavated the riverbed in massive wooden boxes called caissons. These airtight chambers were pinned to the river’s floor by enormous granite blocks; pressurized air was pumped in to keep water and debris out. Workers known as “sandhogs”—many of them immigrants earning about $2 a day—used shovels...
On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge over the East River opened, connecting the great cities of New York and Brooklyn for the first time in history. Thousands of residents of Brooklyn and Manhattan Island turned out to witness the dedication ceremony, which was presided over by President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland. Emi...
Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River. It was also the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its opening, with a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m) and a deck 127 ft (38.7 m) above mean high water.
- 1,595.5 ft (486.3 m)
- 6,016 ft (1,833.7 m; 1.1 mi)
- May 24, 1883; 140 years ago
- East River
- The Brooklyn Bridge is an engineering marvel. When construction was completed on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883, it was officially deemed the first steel-wire suspension bridge in the world.
- It wasn’t called the Brooklyn Bridge (at first) During construction, the bridge was known as the Great East River Bridge, but when completed, it was renamed to the New York and Brooklyn Bridge.
- At least 25 people died building the bridge. The first death on the job occurred before construction of the Brooklyn Bridge even began, and it was arguably the most catastrophic death of all because it took the life of the head engineer, John Roebling.
- The family that built the bridge was cursed. As I mentioned earlier, John Roebling died before construction began so his son, Washington, took over as chief engineer.
- Jesse Greenspan
- Boss Tweed helped get the project started. William M. “Boss” Tweed, the infamously corrupt head of New York City’s Tammany Hall political machine, latched on to the Brooklyn Bridge project from the very beginning.
- At least 20 people died during the bridge’s construction. The first fatality came in 1869 before construction had even begun. German-born John A. Roebling, who designed the bridge, was taking compass readings one afternoon when his foot was crushed between some pilings and a boat.
- It was the longest suspension bridge in the world—by far. A few high-profile collapses in the first half of the 19th century prevented suspension bridges from immediately catching on.
- The bridge opened with a massive celebration. Huge crowds gathered on May 24, 1883, to watch the bridge’s opening ceremony, which The New York Times described, in reference to Brooklyn, as “the greatest gala day in the history of that moral suburb.”
The Brooklyn Bridge, a magnificent feat of engineering and design, stands as an iconic symbol of New York City’s architectural prowess and urban development. Completed in 1883, this historic suspension bridge spans the East River, connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Feb 3, 2021 · Brooklyn Bridge in New York City connects the two iconic boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It provides breathtaking views of the city, while allowing visitors to traverse one of history’s most important feats of engineering.
