From the forefront of the transportation revolution
to the front lines of the Civil War, Beyond the East
River examines the family behind the Brooklyn
Bridge. Starting with patriarch John Roebling s
journey from his native Germany to the New World, it
analyses his migration and his attitude to the major
issues of the day, such as slavery and
America s Manifest Destiny . The study moves on to
examine his eldest son, Washington Roebling, who
served in the Union army and later inherited the
role of Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge.
American born but with strong German roots, it
investigates this duality and also how he dealt with
the corruption associated with the bridge. The final
subject is Emily Warren Roebling, Washington s wife.
The analysis starts with her involvement with the
bridge and concludes by examining her later life
when she became heavily involved with the women s
movement. While the main aim of the study is to
bring the achievements of this remarkable family to
a wider audience, it is also to use their
experiences to assist in the understanding of a
period during which America underwent major
geographical and ideological changes.
to the front lines of the Civil War, Beyond the East
River examines the family behind the Brooklyn
Bridge. Starting with patriarch John Roebling s
journey from his native Germany to the New World, it
analyses his migration and his attitude to the major
issues of the day, such as slavery and
America s Manifest Destiny . The study moves on to
examine his eldest son, Washington Roebling, who
served in the Union army and later inherited the
role of Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge.
American born but with strong German roots, it
investigates this duality and also how he dealt with
the corruption associated with the bridge. The final
subject is Emily Warren Roebling, Washington s wife.
The analysis starts with her involvement with the
bridge and concludes by examining her later life
when she became heavily involved with the women s
movement. While the main aim of the study is to
bring the achievements of this remarkable family to
a wider audience, it is also to use their
experiences to assist in the understanding of a
period during which America underwent major
geographical and ideological changes.