Series. So id like to thank quay and devon who currently run the program here and remind you there are several more coming up in july and august. The next is powerhouse arena with sarah girard and hannah tente speaking. A little bit about this book and about erica wagner. As you can tell from the backdrop here, this is a great topic for this setting in Brooklyn Bridge park. You know, not most great monuments dont have, dont inspire great writing, but i would say the Brooklyn Bridge is an exception to all of that. You know, from hart crane, you know, to many other poets and writers and notably to the nonfiction writer David Mccullough, there have been really inspired writing on this subject. And err can ca wagner is right up there erica wagner is right up there. What shes done with this biography of Washington Roebling is even remind everyone how even though she was the son of he was the son of a designer, he was the person along with his wife who got it through, you know, a dozen or so
When i want to give up, he helps me go on. I know that nothing can be done perfectly at the first trial, he once wrote. I also know each day brings its middle quota of experiences, which, with honest intentions, will lead to perfection after a while. So thats just a little bit about how this remarkable structure came to be built all those years ago. A structure that has endured with some but notmuch alteration from that day to this. I thought id read you also a little bit from the book. As i mentioned in my talk, Emily Roebling washingtons wife was a truly remarkable woman. When he became very ill in the 1870s, the episode i just read to you was the beginning of his sickness. He got much, much sicker after that. In 1973 and 1875, he really thought that he would die. He didnt die. He remained in control of the bridge but emily was his extraordinary mn events is, helping him, going down to the Bridge Consulting with the other engineers, truck talking to the trustees, doing all the compli
We can take away from the roebling family and company is that innovation is real. There is a dont tell us it cannot be done attitude. We can do this, we can innovate, we can make something we have thought about come to being, and by that ingenuity and engineering, we can change the way people live their lives in a positive way. John a roebling became an engineer. He studied at the Royal Academy in prussia, where he was from. He realized america had some of the most amazing structures. He was interested in bridges. Around 1847 or so, he came to the United States, planted himself in saxonburg outside of pittsburgh. He started farming. What is an engineer doing farming . Not much. The Pennsylvania Railroad was having issues developing ways to pull ships and trains over mountainous areas. They were using hemp rope, they often would break. John roebling saw a problem he gets off with engineering practice and knowhow. After taking his idea to the railroad system, they said if you come up wit
We can take away from the roebling family and company is that innovation is real. There is a dont tell us it cannot be done attitude. We can do this, we can innovate, we can make something we have thought about come to being, and by that ingenuity and engineering, we can change the way people live their lives in a positive way. John a roebling became an engineer. He studied at the Royal Academy in prussia, where he was from. He realized america had some of the most amazing structures. He was interested in bridges. Around 1847 or so, he came to the United States, planted himself in saxonburg outside of pittsburgh. He started farming. What is an engineer doing farming . Not much. The Pennsylvania Railroad was having issues developing ways to pull ships and trains over mountainous areas. They were using hemp rope, they often would break. John roebling saw a problem he gets off with engineering practice and knowhow. After taking his idea to the railroad system, they said if you come up wit
To learn more about its unique history. For six years now, weve traveled to cities across the u. S. , to explore their literary and historic sites. You can watch more of our visits at cspan. Org citiestour. Trenton became the state capital in 1790. Trenton was selected because of its location. Even though were not in the Geographic Center of the state as many state capitals are. We are situated on the Delaware River, equal justice between north jersey and south jersey. It made sense for trenton, because trenton by 1790 was already a household name. It was made famous, of course, by George Washington and the battle of trenton. Crossing the Delaware River, 1776. Christmas night. It was also, however, a center of commerce. William trent had established trenton. As a port town. A river port town. He could sail his merchant ships up as far as this point. Up to the fall lines of the delaware. So it made sense to bring State Government here as well in 1790. The building really evolved over th