- published: 11 Nov 2015
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The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.
Originally referred to as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge and as the East River Bridge, it was dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge, a name from an earlier January 25, 1867 letter to the editor of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an icon of New York City, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972.
The Brooklyn Bridge was initially designed by German immigrant John Augustus Roebling, who had previously designed and constructed shorter suspension bridges, such as Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, Waco Suspension Bridge in Waco, Texas, and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Brooklyn Bridge Park is an 85-acre (340,000 m2) park on Brooklyn's East River Shoreline. The park revitalizes 1.3-mile (2.1 km) of Brooklyn's post-industrial waterfront from Atlantic Avenue in the south, under the Brooklyn Bridge, to Jay Street north of the Manhattan Bridge. The site includes Brooklyn Piers 1-6, the historic Fulton Ferry Landing, and the preexisting Empire Fulton Ferry Park and Main Street Park. Two Civil War-era structures, Empire Stores and the Tobacco Warehouse, will also be integrated into the park.
In 1642 the first ferry landing opened on the land that is now Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Empire Fulton Ferry section. A thriving trading economy soon developed into a small town called “het Veer,” meaning “the Ferry” . As het Veer grew throughout the 17th century, it became known as the “Road to the Ferry” .
On August 29th, 1776 het Veer served as a crucial strategic location for George Washington and the Continental Army in the American Revolution’s Battle of Long Island. In the middle of the night, George Washington and his men escaped across the East River to Manhattan to evade the British Army that was quickly gaining upon the Continental Army .
IN THE HOURS BEFORE THE MORNING,
Walking home I pass her doorAnd I send a special prayerUp to the room on the second floorFor my mind is in there with herBut my body takes me homeAnd I need to have a loveBecause I've been too long aloneSo won't youWelcome me loveMy name is lonelyTell that girl that I think OF her only I WANNA DO IT RIGHT So help me LIGHT the light in her HEART Welcome me loveI know you don't know meTake my hand there's a lot you can show meI WANNA DO IT RIGHT So help me LIGHT the light in her HEART I'll try to make her happyAnd I promise I'll be goodI'll play it by the rulesJust like every lover should AND times that I will fail herAnd we'LL let each other downBut I'm sure that we can make it JUST As long as you're aroundSo won't youWelcome me loveMy name is lonelyTell that girl that I think OF her onlyI WANNA DO IT RIGHT So help me LIGHT the light in her HEART Welcome me loveI know you don't know meTake my hand there's a lot you can show meI WANNA DO IT RIGHTSo help me LIGHT the light in her HEART