Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened in 1883, it was the first fixed crossing between the two boroughs.

Suspension bridge: A bridge whose deck hangs from cables suspended between towers and anchored at their ends. The Brooklyn Bridge combines suspended roadway cables with unusually strong diagonal stays.
John A. Roebling's New York and Brooklyn Bridge: The proposed East River suspension bridge designed by John A. Roebling in the 1860s. His original design launched the project that became the Brooklyn Bridge.
John A. Roebling: A German-born American civil engineer known for designing major suspension bridges. He conceived the bridge's design but died before construction began.
Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway: The elevated pedestrian path running along the center of the Brooklyn Bridge. The walkway made crossing the river on foot part of the bridge's public role.
Caisson: A watertight chamber used to excavate and build foundations underwater or in saturated ground. Workers used pressurized caissons to build the bridge's deep foundations in the riverbed.
Emily Warren Roebling: An American engineer and advocate who helped direct the Brooklyn Bridge's completion. She conveyed engineering decisions between Washington Roebling and the construction team.
Washington Roebling: An American civil engineer who directed construction of the Brooklyn Bridge after his father's death. His leadership carried the project through its most difficult construction years.
Manhattan Bridge: A suspension bridge connecting Lower Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn, opened in 1909. Its later construction added another major East River crossing as the city expanded.
Bridge cable: A tension-bearing assembly of wires or strands used to support a bridge deck. Four main cables carry much of the bridge's suspended roadway load.
New York and Brooklyn Bridge: The corporation created to build and operate the bridge linking New York City and Brooklyn. The corporation financed construction and managed the crossing before municipal ownership.

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