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The Brooklyn Bridge was a marvel of the time, but it would not have such universal appeal if it were not for its breath-taking appearance. The impressive form of the solid granite towers with their Gothic arches and the delicate steel webwork which suspends the roadway were a planed phenomenon; designed to attract viewers and create a local and national monument in New York that would leave observers in awe. As John A. Roebling explained in 1867, while presenting his idea for the East River Bridge: |
| "The contemplated work, when constructed in accordance with my design, will not only be the greatest bridge in existence, but it will be the greatest engineering work of this continent, and of the age. Its most conspicuous features, the towers, will serve as landmarks to the adjoining cities, and they will be entitled to be ranked as national monuments." (1) |
Walt Whitman exclaimed while taking a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge one day that
the view from the walkway was "The best, most effective medicine my soul
has yet partaken." (2)
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The bridge's appearance has a unique aspect to it. Although it was created to decrease travel time between Brooklyn and Manhattan, it was also made to slow down the pace of New York; any local man, woman or child could stroll by and appreciate the grandiose structure. "…But the wise man will not cross the bridge in five minutes, nor in twenty. He will linger to get the good of the splendid sweep of view about him, which his aesthetic self will admit pays wonderful interest on his investment of nothing. The bridge itself will be a remarkable sight, as he looks from his central path of vantage down upon the broad outer roadways…" (3)
The Brooklyn Bridge was an innovative item, pushing the limits of technology,
society and shape in a way no other structure had previously attempted. People
were, and still are so moved by the appearance of the Brooklyn Bridge; it set
itself apart from all the other bridges of New York and the rest of the world
in our minds.
1. Sharon Reier, The Bridges of New York (New York,
1977) page 11
2. http://kepler.poly.edu/~imilan01/bridge.html Notes on the Brooklyn Bridge date accessed: 5/01/01
