So this is me on the Brooklyn Bridge, one of architecture and engineering's great feats of the 19th century. When the Brooklyn Bridgewas first built in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in existence, and over 50% longer than any suspension bridges that had been built in the past. The design was actually a family affair, although John A. Roebling usually gets the most credit. This is likely because he did similar bridges in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania and Cincinatti, Ohio. However, truth be told, several generations of Roeblings worked on the bridge, several even getting paralyzed and dying due to the treacherous construction conditions at that day in age. Remarkably, it was Emily Warren Roebling who did much of the calculations herself and helped the men of her family take all the credit. She was also the first person to cross over the bridge after its completion.

The bridge was the first steel wire bridge and it spans 5,989 feet in length. It runs from Brooklyn to Manhattan over tp of the East River. It provides scenic views of both boroughs' skylines as well as a distant view of the Statue of Liberty. Interestingly enough, the tower on the Manhattan end rests only in sand, and falls 30 feet short of hitting bedrock. This is because so many of the initial construction workers were falling ill from what they called "caisson disease." It was actually decompression sickness caused by working underwater. Nonetheless, the bridge has remained structurally sound for over a century now. It was even deemed a National Historical Landmark in 1964. It is a great feat of architecture and engineering, indeed!