#John r Roebling bridge

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Black bean burger with fried onions on top, deep fried pickle chips, and a view.

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Brooklyn Bridge, 5/24/1883, Library of Congress, NARA ID 169144223.

Brooklyn Bridge Brand Cement label, "over 100,000 bbls of our cement used on the New York and Brooklyn Bridge" 1/25/1901, NARA ID 45484804.

Brooklyn Bridge, 3/7/1949, NARA ID 169144674.

Brooklyn Bridge Opened #OTD 1883

Learn about the WOMAN who saved the bridge!

By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs

When the Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, its towers were the tallest structures in the country and it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. This unparalleled engineering feat -- considered 8th Wonder of the World -- spanned 1,595 feet, connecting NYC and Brooklyn for the first time. Designed and partly built by John Roebling and his son Washington, the remarkable design used Roebling's patented system of steel wire cable construction. See the patent here!

L: East River Bridge Plan of one Tower, John A. Roebling, 1867. R: Patent #4710 - Anchoring Suspension-Chains for Bridges - John Roebling, NARA ID 7560374, 1846.

DID YOU KNOW... Another Roebling saved the bridge - EMILY!

"The name of Emily Warren Roebling will...be inseparably associated with all that is admirable in human nature and all that is wonderful in the constructive world of art. [The bridge is] an everlasting monument to the self-sacrificing devotion of a woman and of her capacity for that higher education from which she has been too long disbarred." - Abram Hewitt

Both father and son suffered severe injuries during the bridge construction. After John Roebling died of tetanus (result of an on-site injury), his son Washington became chief engineer, supervising construction of the foundation and spending long hours in the pneumatic caissons at the bottom of the river. After one very long shift, he was brought to the surface unconscious and never fully recovered. He didn't return to the site but continued to direct the work from his nearby home by using a telescope!

With her husband confined to bed, Emily Roebling became the de-facto project manager - and more. The Rensselaer website notes that she went beyond simple management: “She carried out all written communication and face-to-face interviews with contractors with a thorough grasp of the engineering.” While both Roeblings were present for the opening of the bridge in 1883, it was Emily who rode with President Chester Arthur across the great bridge.

NYC Mayor Bill Deblasio has announced plans to name a civic square beneath the Brooklyn Bridge "Emily Roebling Plaza."

During WWI, Military Police guard Brooklyn Bridge with machine gun, 1917. NARA ID 45500536.

U.S. battleship approaches Brooklyn Navy Yard after passing under the Brooklyn Bridge, 3/28/1919. NARA ID 86697815.

More online:

Brooklyn Bridge Park plaza named for span’s pathbreaking engineer, New York Post, 121/9/2020.

Facial Hair Friday: The Brooklyn Bridge - Read Hilary Parkinson's Pieces of History post.

Washington Roebling's Civil War Military Service Record.

New York Times' "Overlooked" obituary for Emily Roebling.

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Horseshoe Falls (No. 2)

Theories differ as to the origin of the name of the falls. According to Iroquoian scholar Bruce Trigger, Niagara is derived from the name given to a branch of the local native Neutral Confederacy, who are described as being called the Niagagarega people on several late-17th-century French maps of the area. According to George R. Stewart, it comes from the name of an Iroquois town called Onguiaahra, meaning "point of land cut in two". 

Henry Schoolcraft reported:

Niagara Falls. This name is Mohawk. It means, according to Mrs. Kerr, the neck; the term being first applied to the portage or neck of land, between lakes Erie and Ontario. By referring to Mr. Elliott's vocabulary, (chapter xi) it will be seen that the human neck, that is, according to the concrete vocabulary, his neck, is onyara. Red Jacket pronounced the word Niagara to me, in the spring of 1820, as if written O-ne-au-ga-rah.

Many figures have been suggested as first circulating a European eyewitness description of Niagara Falls. The Frenchman Samuel de Champlain visited the area as early as 1604 during his exploration of Canada, and members of his party reported to him the spectacular waterfalls, which he described in his journals. The Finnish-Swedish naturalist Pehr Kalm explored the area in the early 18th century and is credited with the first scientific description of the falls. The consensus honoree for the first description is the Belgian missionary Louis Hennepin, who observed and described the falls in 1677, earlier than Kalm, after traveling with the explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, thus bringing the falls to the attention of Europeans. Further complicating matters, there is credible evidence the French Jesuit missionary Paul Ragueneau visited the falls some 35 years before Hennepin's visit while working among the Huron First Nation in Canada. Jean de Brébeuf also may have visited the falls, while spending time with the Neutral Nation. 

In 1762, Captain Thomas Davies, a British Army officer and artist, surveyed the area and painted the watercolor, An East View of the Great Cataract of Niagara, the first eyewitness painting of the falls. 

During the 19th century, tourism became popular, and by mid-century, it was the area's main industry. Theodosia Burr Alston (daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr) and her husband Joseph Alston were the first recorded couple to honeymoon there in 1801. Napoleon Bonaparte's brother Jérôme visited with his bride in the early 19th century. 

In 1825, British explorer John Franklin visited the falls while passing through New York en route to Cumberland House as part of his second Arctic expedition, calling them "so justly celebrated as the first in the world for grandeur". 

In 1837 during the Caroline affair, a rebel supply ship, the Caroline, was burned and sent over the falls.

In March 1848, an ice blockage caused the falls to stop; no water (or at best a trickle) fell for as much as 40 hours. Waterwheels stopped, and mills and factories shut down for having no power. 

Later that year, demand for passage over the Niagara River led to the building of a footbridge and then Charles Ellet's Niagara Suspension Bridge. This was supplanted by German-born John Augustus Roebling's Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge in 1855. After the American Civil War, the New York Central Railroad publicized Niagara Falls as a focus of pleasure and honeymoon visits. With increased railroad traffic, in 1886, Leffert Buck replaced Roebling's wood and stone bridge with the predominantly steel bridge that still carries trains over the Niagara River today. The first steel archway bridge near the falls was completed in 1897. Known today as the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, it carries passenger vehicles and trains between Canada (through Canadian Customs Border Control) and the U.S.A. just downstream of the falls.

In about 1840, the English industrial chemist Hugh Lee Pattinson traveled to Canada, stopping at the Niagara Falls long enough to make the earliest known photograph of the falls, a daguerreotype in the collection of Newcastle University. It was once believed that the small figure standing silhouetted with a top hat was added by an engraver working from imagination as well as the daguerreotype as his source, but the figure is clearly present in the photograph.[24] Because of the very long exposure required, of ten minutes or more, the figure is assumed by Canada's Niagara Parks agency to be Pattinson himself.[24] The image is left-right inverted and taken from the Canadian side. Pattinson made other photographs of the Horseshoe Falls as well as of Rome and Paris. These were then transferred to engravings to illustrate Noël Marie Paymal Lerebours' Excursions Daguerriennes (Paris, 1841–1864). 

Source: Wikipedia

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Mont Saint Michel, France 🇫🇷 (l), Ristorante Hotel Grotta Palazzese, Italy 🇮🇹 (m)! San Francisco, CA, United States 🇺🇸 (r)!

Cincinnati's John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, Ohio, USA 🇺🇸(l), Venice, Italy 🇮🇹 (m)! Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Canada 🇨🇦 (r)!

Black Forest, Germany 🇩🇪!

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New York – Amazing City

New York City is the largest and most populated city in the United States. It is often referred to as the “city that never sleeps” because it is perpetually buzzing with activity. With a right mix of culture, history art, architecture, and entertainment, the metropolis offers so much to see and do in the city. Whether you are traveling alone or with family, a visit to New York city will definitely be an unforgettable experience.New York is one of the greatest cities in the world, bustling with activities and plenty of things to see. In fact, the New York city attractions are endless that narrowing it down is a pretty difficult task. At any time of the year, at any time of the day or night, the city is jam-packed with visitors and tourists. While some people come here to shop, others come to enjoy the Broadway Shows, and many come to see the spectacular sights the city has to offer. Needless to say, New York has something for everyone. Let’s go through some of the most iconic attractions in New York that draws a huge number of tourists with  Cheap tickets to this amazing city. Times Square Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, formerly known as Longacre Square is a great tourist attraction with plenty of shopping centers, theaters and restaurants. It is well known for its eye-catching and jaw dropping, mammoth size digital billboards that rise several stories high and light up New York city day and night. Nearby there are Broadway shows, restaurants, shops and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. The world famous ball drop on New Year occurs on the top of the Times Building, which gave the square its name. Statue of Liberty and Battery Park The Statue of Liberty, a famous world symbol of freedom and one of the greatest landmarks of America is actually a gift from France. Built in 1886, it is the world’s largest statue with a height of almost 152 feet from the base to the torch. Located on Liberty Island, you can get a fine view of the New York Harbor and lower Manhattan from the statue. A short boat ride is required to get to the statue. Battery Park is located on the southern tip of Manhattan from where you can get amazing views of New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. Empire State Building The Empire State Building is another famous landmark of New York. The 381 meters tall, 102-storey building used to be the tallest building in the world until the first World Trade Center tower was constructed. Soon after it opened in 1931, the Empire State Building became a symbol and landmark of New York. Atop the Empire State Building are two observatories – one on the 86th Floor and the other on the 102nd Floor. Due to large number of visitors to this place daily, the line to go up the Empire State Building is always long. It would be a good idea to buy the Empire State Building Ticket – Observatory and Optional Skip the Line Ticket that allows you to bypass the lines. Central Park Central Park is a huge beautiful park in the city center that has many attractions within its borders such as the the Central Park Zoo, Strawberry Fields and the Lake, which is used for paddling in summer and skating in winter. The Central Park has been featured in many movies and TV shows. While a walk in the park is enjoyable and refreshing, renting a bike would be a good idea to get to the sites faster. Broadway and Shubert Alley One of the highlights of visiting New York City is watching the Broadway show. If you want to enjoy the latest shows and the long running classics, Broadway is the place to be. It includes a large number of theater venues along the street of Broadway as well as in the theatre district. Shubert Alley, in the theater district is a well-known pedestrian only alley that has two famous playhouses – the Shubert on 221 West 44th Street and the Booth at 22 West 45th Street. Other popular places include Sardi’s restaurant and the Music Box Theater. Metropolitan Museum of Art Most commonly known as The Met, The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 and contains a permanent collection of over 2 million works of art. Some of the important collections include arms and armor, American decorative arts, Egyptian art, costumes, musical instruments, photographs and much more. A branch of the Met, known as The Cloisters is located in northern Manhattan, which mainly gives importance to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Rockefeller Center At the center of Manhattan is the Rockefeller Center, a large shopping complex and entertainment center. Home to NBC-TV and radio, you will find plenty of other iconic sites in this multiblock complex. The outdoor skating rink is very popular during the winter season. Inside the Rockefeller Center are many shops, restaurants, and an observation deck. The deck includes three floors, located on 67th, 69th, and 70th floors. There are both indoor and outdoor viewing areas that are open to the public day and night. Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is considered as the premier shopping area of New York. Many famous stores of top end designers are located along this classy avenue including Tiffany, Cartier, Bergdorf-Goodman, the Apple Store Fifth Avenue and Saks Fifth Avenue. Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge, designed by John Augustus Roebling in the 19th century, was the world’s first bridge to be constructed of steel. When it was completed, the bridge also had the reputation of being the longest suspension bridge of its time. The bridge has two stone towers that are connected with Gothic-shaped arches at the top. The Brooklyn bridge is a world famous American landmark that has inspired many artists, including poets, songwriters and painters. Chrysler Building Another one of New York’s most famous landmarks is the Chrysler Building. Although the Art Deco building is associated with the Chrysler car company, it was never occupied by the auto giant. While its spire resembles a car radiator grill, the gargoyles on the exterior look like hood ornaments. Built in the year1929, the Chrysler Building remains the best example of Art Deco architecture. New York Public Library Located on the edge of Bryant Park, The New York Public Library’s main branch was designed by architects, Carrere & Hastings, in the Beaux Arts style. With ornately decorated impressive rooms, the library is a major city attraction that draws a large number of visitors everyday. The New York Public Library is enormous with a Main Reading Room that stretches almost two city blocks. You can find a vast selection of current magazines in the Periodicals Room. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1943 is a unique building similar to a giant white shell. It houses one of the world’s best collections of modern art. Among the collections displayed are the works of Picasso, Leger, Chagall, Modigliani, Manet, Kandinsky and many others. The Guggenheim Museum hosts many interesting and innovative exhibitions from time to time. The layout of this amazing museum is like no other. Visitors check out the artwork along a huge ramp that spirals up around the cylindrical building. Wall Street With a distance of 1.1 km and extending for eight city blocks from Broadway to South Street is the world famous Wall Street, home to some of the most important exchanges in the world including the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ, and the New York Mercantile Exchange. With some of the best architecture such as Trinity Church and Federal Reserve, this fast-paced street has become a popular tourist attraction. St Patrick’s Cathedral St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York is a prominent landmark of New York city and one of the best examples of Neo-Gothic style of architecture. The cathedral features massive bronze doors, 330 ft twin spires, bronze baldachin, white marble facade, rose window, the Great Organ and the statue of Pieta at the side of the Lady Chapel. With a seating capacity of 2,400, the cathedral is visited by millions of visitors annually. Disney World South Street SeaportThe South Street Seaport is a historic site that used to be New York’s port during the 19th century. Not only does it feature some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, it also includes the largest number of restored commercial buildings in the city. Today, the South Street Seaport, after restoration and development, has plenty of restaurants, stores, museums, historic buildings and museums. So if you are visiting New York, this is one place that you shouldn’t miss.

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NYC Landmarks Designed or Built By Women: Brooklyn Bridge, One WTC, and More!

You have women to thank for the Brooklyn Bridge and other New York icons

By Amy Plitt@plitter Updated Mar 8, 2019

There’s no shortage of great women working in the fields of architecture, design, and urban planning—particularly in New York City, where some of the most noteworthy new buildings or urban-design schemes are helmed or championed by women. (Also, hello, Jane Jacobs.)

But there are also women whose contributions to the urban fabric of New York are less known, though no less important than those of their celebrated peers. You may not know their names, but you certainly know the buildings or other landmarks that are an indelible part of the cityscape.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’ve gathered seven well-known NYC landmarks—buildings, parks, and otherwise—that would never have existed if not for the women who got them done.

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.

Bethesda Fountain

One of Central Park’s most popular attractions is Bethesda Terrace and the large, ornate fountain at its center. The sculpture within the fountain—officially called Angel in the Water—was designed by Emma Stebbins, and was noteworthy for being the first public artwork commissioned by the city to be created by a woman. The sculpture was dedicated in 1872; rumor has it that Stebbins based the angelic figure at its center on Charlotte Cushman, her lover.

Brooklyn Bridge

The iconic East River bridge probably wouldn’t have been completed if it weren’t for Emily Roebling, whose contributions are honored with a plaque on one of the structure’s hulking granite towers. The bridge itself was designed by her father-in-law, John Roebling (who passed away before its completion), and work was carried out by Emily’s husband, Washington. But he developed the bends in 1872, leading Emily to finish the project—and she was the first person to cross the bridge when it opened in 1883.

Lever House

Natalie de Blois’s name has been in the news recently thanks to JPMorgan Chase’s decision to replace the sleek, modernist Union Carbide Building at 270 Park Avenue, in which the pioneering female architect played a major role. In fact, during her time at Skidmore Owings & Merill, De Blois frequently collaborated with Gordon Bunshaft, working as senior designer on projects like Union Carbide, the Pepsi-Cola building (at 500 Park Avenue), and—our personal favorite—Lever House, erected in 1952 as the HQ for the British soap company Lever Brothers. It marked a shift on Park Avenue toward corporate modernism, and De Blois’s contribution was immense.

The Surrogate’s Courthouse Staircase

Though the larger Surrogate’s Courthouse building was designed by architect John R. Thomas, one of its notable elements—the ornate Beaux Arts staircase on the first floor—is the work of Fay Kellogg, known during her time as “the foremost woman architect in the United States.” She also helped draw up the plans for the building, according to the Pratt Institute, which counts Kellogg as one of its alumna.

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

Though the building where the 26th president of the United States was born and raised wasn’t built by a woman—and, in fact, was demolished at the beginning of the 20th century—the re-created townhouse that stands in its place was. Theodate Pope Riddle, who was the first licensed female architect in New York, was given the commission to redesign the Roosevelt family’s original home; it became a National Historic Site in 1966

Park Avenue Mall

Landscape architect and NYC Parks Department employee Clara Coffey is responsible for several green spaces throughout the city, including Clement Clarke Moore Park in Chelsea and Yellowstone Park in Queens. But her best-known work is the redevelopment of the Park Avenue Malls, a series of planters lining the thoroughfare from Midtown to the Upper East Side. The Parks Department calls her design for the Malls “understated, practical and accessible,” with flower beds and seasonal flora an integral part of the design. Appropriately, a park within Sutton Place was later named for her.

One World Trade Center

David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill may be known as the architect of record for Manhattan’s (current) tallest skyscraper, but as Fast.Co Design points out, “the architect who finally got the damned thing built” was Nicole Dosso, the director of the firm’s technical group. In her role, she oversaw the actual construction of the supertall skyscraper; as she told Fast.Co Design, “There was a design, the one David Childs and SOM created. My responsibility was to insure that [the design] took place." So the next time you see the building, remember the woman who got it done.

— New York Curbed, She Heroes