
Emily Warren Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge
Stuff You Missed in History Class
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John Robling's Designs and Tragic Accident
This chapter discusses John Robling's final designs for the Brooklyn Bridge and the tragic accident that resulted in his death. It also highlights the lack of understanding of antiseptic surgical techniques during that time.
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Emily Warren Roebling played a crucial role in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge after her husband became disabled. It’s a story of an engineering marvel and what mainstream U.S. society expected of women and disabled people in the 19th century.
Research:
- American Monthly Magazine. “Mrs. Washington A. Roebling.” Daughters of the American Revolution. 1892. https://archive.org/details/americanmonthlymv17daug/
- Ashworth, William B. Jr. “Emily Warren Roebling.” Linda Hall Library. https://www.lindahall.org/about/news/scientist-of-the-day/emily-warren-roebling/
- Bennett, Jessica. “Emily Warren Roebling.” New York Times. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/obituaries/overlooked-emily-warren-roebling.html
- Bowery Boys. “PODCAST: The Brooklyn Bridge.” 1/11/2008. https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2008/01/brooklyn-bridge.html
- Brady, Sean. “The Brooklyn Bridge: Tragedy Overcome (Part 1).” The Structural Engineer. March 2015.
- Brady, Sean. “The Brooklyn Bridge: Tragedy Overcome (Part 2).” The Structural Engineer. April 2015.
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Emily Warren Roebling". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Dec. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Emily-Warren-Roebling. Accessed 9 January 2024.
- Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Washington Augustus Roebling". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Jul. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Washington-Augustus-Roebling. Accessed 9 January 2024.
- Brooklyn Daily Eagle. “Mrs. Washington A. Roebling.” 3/1/1903. https://bklyn.newspapers.com/image/53405737/
- “Col. W.A. Roebling.” The Brooklyn Union. 5/16/1883. https://www.newspapers.com/image/541841261/
- “Cost of Marrying a Foreigner.” The Buffalo Review. 8/27/1889. https://www.newspapers.com/image/354435395/
- “Danger In It.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 10/1/1889. https://www.newspapers.com/image/50407904/
- "Emily Roebling." Notable Women Scientists, Gale, 2000. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1668000367/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=0de2e1e2. Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.
- Flagg, Thomas R. "Brooklyn Bridge." Encyclopedia of New York State, edited by Peter R. Eisenstadt and Laura-Eve Moss, Syracuse UP, 2005, p. 223. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A194195370/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=a49d8b0e. Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.
- Hewitt, Abram S. “Oration. From: Opening ceremonies of the New York and Brooklyn bridge, May 24, 1883. Press of the Brooklyn Job Printing Department. 1883. https://archive.org/details/openingceremoni00bridgoog
- “In the Dark.” The Brooklyn Union. 7/11/1882. https://www.newspapers.com/image/541767454/
- “John Roebling Ferry Accident.” Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 6/30/1869. https://www.newspapers.com/image/60752419/
- Juravich, Nick. “Emily Warren Roebling: Building the Brooklyn Bridge and Beyond.” New York Historical Society. 5/30/2018. https://www.nyhistory.org/blogs/emily-warren-roebling-beyond-the-bridge
- Library of Congress. “Roebling and the Brooklyn Bridge.” https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-12/
- “Mrs. Roebling Dead.” New-york Tribune. 3/1/1903. https://www.newspapers.com/image/467730770/
- New York Historical Society. “Life Story: Emily Warren Roebling (1843–1903).” Women & the American Story. https://wams.nyhistory.org/industry-and-empire/labor-and-industry/emily-warren-roebling/
- Petrash, Antonia. “More than petticoats. Remarkable New York women.” 2002.
- “Battling Tetanus.” https://www.si.edu/spotlight/antibody-initiative/battling-tetanus
- Tiwari, Tejpratap S.P. et al. “Tetanus.” Centers for Disease Control. 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/tetanus.htm
- “With Women Lawyers.” The Woman's Journal 1899-04-08: Vol 30 Iss 14. https://archive.org/details/sim_the-womans-journal_1899-04-08_30_14/page/109/
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