Emily Roebling: The Unsung Heroine of the Brooklyn Bridge

The phrase "I have a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you" conveys contempt for an idea that demands suspension of disbelief. Given that Emily Roebling, oversaw the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge from 1872 until its completion in 1883, while her husband garnered almost all of the credit, it's all too fitting that the bridge is associated with a trope for something hard to believe. Harder still to believe is how long it took for this extraordinary woman to get the credit she richly deserved.

Indeed, if women are under-represented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professions today, their presence was all but nonexistent in Emily Roebling's time. So unthinkable was it that a woman could work as an engineer that few people gave credence to the notion that Emily was technically savvy enough to have influenced the project, despite her almost daily presence on the construction site for more than ten years.

For decades, the idea persisted that her bed-ridden husband, civil engineer Washington Roebling, supervised the work on the bridge from their Brooklyn home, aided by binoculars, a telescope, and Emily's untiring work as a messenger, serving as his "eyes and ears." In truth, Washington's eyesight was severely compromised, and his ability to draw was all but nonexistent. Thus, he, local governments, and the populations of the cities of Brooklyn and New York (as they were then known) depended on the talent, judgment, and discretion of a self-taught female engineer.

Although Emily, born in 1843, did not have any formal training in engineering, she had, by the standards of the time, an unusual education for a woman, which included history, astronomy, science, and algebra. During her travels in Europe after the Civil War with her husband, who was researching bridge-building techniques, Emily herself became fascinated by the subject.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

The building of the bridge was a true family affair: Emily's father-in-law, John Roebling, designed the bridge. When the renowned bridge-builder died in 1869, from an injury sustained at the building site, his son, Washington, took over as chief engineer. Washington himself became ill less than a year into the project, likely as a result of spending too much time underwater in a compressed-air environment. By 1872, he was incapacitated.

For the next 11 years, Emily would be not just her husband's "eyes and ears" but a skilled operative equally adept in engineering, politics, and image-building. The building of the bridge was fraught with numerous problems: injuries, including the same decompression illness that Washington suffered from, were common; there were charges of bribery, corruption, and use of inferior building materials; complaints about cost over-runs; and finally, a bid to remove Washington Roebling from the project because of his inability to visit the site.

A letter to the Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge from Washington (certainly written by Emily and likely drafted by her as well) persuaded the Trustees to retain Washington as chief engineer. Her ability to convince people that the building of the bridge was being supervised by her husband is a testament to the breadth and sophistication of her engineering skills, as the decisions and ideas she credited to her husband were largely hers.

"MAN'S WORK"

Emily's willingness and desire to protect his reputation are a testament to her position as a dutiful wife, a role that was as much demanded of her as it was one of her choosing. It was palatable to see her as a helpmate, but not a person of primary importance. True, she was acknowledged and praised, but it was for a lesser, secondary role than the one she played.

As noted in the book Heroes of New York Harbor, "Among all the huzzahs for the bridge, some reporters recognized Emily, without ruining her reputation as a woman when it was unseemly for women to do `man's work.' Emily's presence as a woman in the development of suspension bridge technology was threatening to the public, her appearances, however, as a wife in the service of her husband, selfless and tireless, or as a goddess arriving effortlessly to apply herself to the task, carried on for another century."

The lack of recognition for her skills and contribution eventually became a source of frustration to her, as evidenced in a letter she wrote to her son, John, in 1898: "I am still feeling well enough to stoutly maintain against all critics (including my only son) that I have more brains, common sense and know-how generally than any two engineers, civil or uncivil, and but for me the Brooklyn Bridge would never have had the name Roebling in any way connected with it!"

Her engineering talents would only again be put to use with the design of a new home. She went on to study law and became a passionate advocate for women's rights, arguing for equality and the right to vote. At the time of her death, in 1903, she remained largely uncredited for the scope of her work in making the Brooklyn Bridge a reality.

It was only through research done in the latter half of the 20th century – ironically, about the bridge, or her husband or father-in-law, but seldom about Emily herself – that her role became clear. "I don't think that the Brooklyn Bridge would be standing were it not for her," said Erica Wagner, the author of Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, the Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge. "She was absolutely integral to its construction." And of course, the idea of a woman in charge of such a substantial project no longer strains credulity or is threatening to the public.

Today, a plaque on the bridge acknowledges the three Roeblings, ending with the quote, "Back of every great work we can find the self-sacrificing devotion of a woman."

Facts about STEM

The Brooklyn Bridge, dubbed "The Eighth Wonder of the World," is often described as the most photographed structure in the world. Yet it and the truth of Emily Roebling's role in its construction also serve as reminders of the persistent issues around women in STEM. They earn just 24 percent of undergraduate degrees in engineering, according to The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, and are still often steered away from pursuing higher education and careers in STEM.

--According to the US Department of Commerce, in 2011, women held less than 25% of STEM jobs.

--In 2021, women represented about one-third of U.S. STEM employees (National Science Foundation) while representing just over half (51%) of the population.

--Women are disproportionally represented in 6 of the 10 lowest-paying college majors, while 9 of the 10 highest-paying majors (all in the STEM fields) are dominated by men. (AAUW)

--Research has shown that boys and girls have the same inherent capability in math and science.

--STEM is responsible for as much as 69% of US GDP. The lack of a diversified workforce – including women and minorities – is thus not just a social issue but an economic one.