Brooklyn+Bridge




 * John A. Roebling(1806-1869), who was the designer of the Brooklyn Bridge,was born June 12, 1806 in Muehlhausen, Thuringia (Prussia). he lived there for the first 25 years of his life and in 1831 he immigrated to America on a ship called the August Eduard. He founded the town Saxonburg, PA in 1832. From 1860 to 1870 there was a 50% increase in the population of Brooklyn so a bill was passed to start construction on a bridge in 1866. John A. Roebling was appointed as the chief engineer of the brooklyn. Early into the construction of the bridge on July 2, 1869 John's foot slipped into a group of pylons from the vibrations of an incoming ferry. This led to him having his foot amputated and infected then he died on July 22, 1869. This left his son, Washington Roebling, in charge of the construction of the bridge. They began the work again on January 2, 1870. The bridge cost $15 million to build. It has a span of 1,595 feet, and hangs from 16 inch thick cables. The cables are suspended from 275 foot towers. It has 6 lanes f traffic. In 1964, the National Park Service designated the bridge a national historic landmark. Was declared the 8th wonder of the world when opened in 1883.

Sources: www.endex.com/gf/buildings/b **bridge**/b**bridge**.html America Past & Present - AP Eighth Edition By Robert A. Divine **