Architectural plans and drawings of the Brooklyn Bridge

The civil engineer John Augustus Roebling (1806–1869) proposed designs for numerous suspension bridges and aqueducts, completing a dozen structures between 1844 and 1869. In 1867 he assumed the role of chief engineer of the bridge he designed to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan. For a time, the Brooklyn Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The works shown here are from a collection of architectural plans and drawings that include renderings of the anchorage, tower, derricks, and equipment used in the bridge’s construction. Roebling lost his life during the project, contracting tetanus following an accident that occurred during construction. His oldest son, Washington Augustus Roebling (1837–1926), took on the role of chief engineer. When he fell ill, his wife, Emily, assumed on-site responsibilities and in 1883 became the first person to cross the completed bridge.