One of the most famous bridges in the world connects Manhattan to the borough of Brooklyn – it’s called the Brooklyn Bridge.  When this bridge was first constructed -it was the largest suspension bridge in the world.

On this day, January 3rd, in 1870, construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge.  Sadly, the visionary behind the Bridge, John Roebling, had died 6 months earlier.  John’s son – Washington Roebling – would lead the design and development of the bridge.

Many of the workers who spent time in between the caissons of the bridge fell ill with decompression sickness – which was later called ” caissons disease”.  This illness took the life of Washington Roeling during the construction of the bridge.

The bridge would take 13 years to build, as the construction was complete in 1883.