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Apr 19, 2024 · Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, c. 1878. The masterwork of John Augustus Roebling, the Brooklyn Bridge was built (1869–83) in the face of immense difficulties. Roebling, an engineer, had developed his own method for weaving wire cables, which became one of the leading constructional components of his bridge designs.
- 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...
Designated NYCL. August 24, 1967 [2] Location. The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed / suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River.
- 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, 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. Designed by John A. Roebling, the bridge was a groundbreaking ...
- 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.”
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Fast facts. • The Brooklyn Bridge was the first suspension bridge to use steel rather than iron for its cables. • Cable cars ran in NYC from 1883 to 1908, with the first line opening on the bridge. Elevated trains ran on the bridge until 1944; trolleys until 1954. • In December 2018, the US Department of Transportation awarded a $25 ...
Feb 9, 2024 · This is a great Brooklyn Bridge trivia question for anyone looking to impress friends. When asked, most folks assume that London’s famous Tower Bridge is older than NYC’s Brooklyn Bridge but that’s not the case. For the Brooklyn Bridge, construction began in 1869 and wasn’t completed until 1883.
