Emily Warren Roebling
Today in Mighty Girl history, Emily Warren Roebling, the "woman who saved the Brooklyn Bridge," was born in 1843. Early in its construction, Roebling's husband, the chief engineer in charge of the bridge’s construction, became bedridden due to decompression sickness. Emily Roebling stepped in to become the first female field engineer and supervised the bridge's construction for over ten years until its completion in 1883.
Roebling’s father-in-law, John Roebling, was the designer of the bridge but he died of tetanus early in its construction. His son, Washington Roebling, took over its construction; however, his frequent entry and exit of the pressurized caissons -- the watertight structures used to remove water for building the bridge piers -- led to a case of “caisson’s disease” or decompression sickness, a little-understood condition at the time that frequently led to crippling injury and even death. The illness left Roebling's husband paralyzed, deaf and mute.
As the New York Times reported at the time, “Mrs. Roebling applied herself to the study of engineering, and she succeeded so well that in a short time she was able to assume the duties of chief engineer." For over a decade, she dealt with contractors, supervised staff, inspected construction, and handled politicians and reporters -- and, by the time the bridge was completed, she had become the public face of one of the most significant construction projects of the era.
Prior to the bridge's public opening, Roebling became the first person to drive a carriage across the span, bringing along a live rooster for good luck. At its opening ceremony, U.S. Congressman Abram Stevens Hewitt called the Brooklyn Bridge “...an everlasting monument to the sacrificing devotion of a woman and of her capacity for that higher education from which she has been too long disbarred.”
After the bridge was finished, Emily Roebling traveled widely and took the opportunity to pursue further education, receiving a law degree from New York University. She died in 1903. While few remember her name today, a plaque still stands on the bridge, dedicating it to the memory of her father-in-law, her husband -- and Emily Roebling herself.
Emily Warren Roebling is one of the women featured in “Women of Steel and Stone: 22 Inspirational Engineers, Architects, and Landscape Designers” for ages 12 and up at http://www.amightygirl.com/women-of-steel-and-stone
For older readers, Emily Warren Roebling's story is also told in David McCullough's "The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge" at http://amzn.to/1wL1A82
For a picture book about a groundbreaking woman architect, we recommend “Julia Morgan Built A Castle” for ages 5 to 9 at http://www.amightygirl.com/julia-morgan-built-a-castle
To inspire a love of building among Mighty Girls of all ages, check out our selection of fun building toys at http://www.amightygirl.com/toys/toys-games/building-toys
You can also learn about our favorite toys that encourage kids' interest in building in our blog post, "Putting It All Together: Top 20 Building Toys for Mighty Girls" at http://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=7742
(from A Mighty Girl FB pg, posted Sept 23, 2015)