Who Is Emily Roebling, And How Did She Save The Brooklyn Bridge?

The name, Emily Roebling, may not sound familiar, but you will be surprised to know that she was the woman who saved the Brooklyn Bridge.

Going to NY and not visiting the Brooklyn Bridge is like, did you even really go to NY? I walked through it, and many questions came to my mind, such as, why is it so important? Who designed it? How long has it been here? So, I did some "googling," and this is what I found.

John Augustus Roebling initially designed it. He created and constructed other suspension bridges around the United States that served as the engineering prototype for the final design for the Brooklyn Bridge. Before the project was finished, he had an accident that cost him his life, and his son, Washington Roebling, took

over.

Shortly after construction began, Washington also suffered an accident that resulted in his death. This is where his wife, Emily Roebling, comes in. She served as the critical link between her husband and the engineers on site. She spent the next 11 years supervising the bridge's construction. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24th, 1883.

I already had an appreciation for the Brooklyn Bridge, but I’m an even bigger fan now that I know it was a woman who took charge of its construction and saw it through to completion.

The next time you take a picture with the Brooklyn Bridge, remember that you can thank Emily Roebling for it.