Adventures on the East Coast: The Roebling Museum

John A. Roebling is responsible for creating wire rope which is the very thing used to hold up most suspension bridges. He formed his company and had two locations: Trenton and Roebling. Both located in New Jersey, the Roebling factory was the source of everything for the town. Roebling built the factory and then built the town up around it, creating houses for his workers, managers and foremen.

The town was a private town up until the 1950's when Roebling sold the factory to Colorado Fuel and Iron who then kept it running until it closed in the 1970's. Today, much of the factory is gone, but the main gate building is still there and within it is the Roebling Museum.

It was pretty interesting to learn about all of the bridges that the company built, the Slovak influences within the town and of course, (you all know me) the love story between John's son Washington and his wife Emily.

They pretty much met and Washington just knew. They wrote letters to each other everyday and married quickly. They went on to form an amazing partnership with Emily being a real, strong woman of her time. Washington got the bends while constructing the Brooklyn Bridge and thought he was going to die. Emily picked up the slack and was responsible for getting the job done.

Carving Set made from Roebling wire rope.

Building of the Brooklyn Bridge

Emily Warren Roebling

Locker.

Traditional Slovak dress.