Prof. Boerner's Explorations

Edited by Gerald Boerner

    
Commentary:

Our country has had its share of magnificent bridges over the years. In the New York City area there are the Brooklyn Bridge, the Verrazona-Narrows Bridge, and the George Washington Bridge. Each has occupied a special place in the heart of the New Yorkers. On the west coast, there is, of course, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the infamous Tacoma Narrows Bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie”, that was torn apart in the winds of the region, at the loss of life of many. The architect and engineer responsible for the design and building of the George Washington Bridge were at the top of their class.

In peace or wartime, our nation has arisen to meet the needs of people who wanted to move about and heed Horace Greeley’s directive: “Go West, Young Man…”. In the process better and better methods have been developed to ford streams and rivers. We are a nation on the move, and few rivers have held us back. That was especially true in the movement from France to Germany across the Rhine River. Like the Romans, we are a nation of excellent engineers, but like the Greeks, we are a nation of thinkers and innovators.

Let’s not lose sight of this legacy today. In our present economy, there is much despair among the workers. But we need companies like Apple Computer, Facebook, Google, and others in both the technology sector and other creative parts of our economy. This innovative spirit of Americans can (and will) overcome the present imbalance in the concentration of wealth by the little shops that put out great products. This is the hope of our country and what enabled us to build the marvels, like the George Washington Bridge in days gone by.

But now, let’s get started on our exploration of the the building and opening of the George Washington Bridge between New York City and New Jersey…. GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 2911 Words ]

Quotations Related to Bridge:

“Go to the truth beyond the mind. Love is the bridge.”
— Stephen Levine

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
— Jim Rohn

“Good composition is like a suspension bridge – each line adds strength and takes none away.”
— Robert Henri

continue reading…

Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

Technology and engineering work together to construct amazing transportation and building projects. One of the early examples of this partnership resulted in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River. Prior to the bridge, pedestrians, bicyclists,  and vehicle (horse-drawn and motorized) traffic.

The Brooklyn Bridge also highlights the trials and triumphs of a German immegrant family. The Roeblings were not only engineers, but they brought to America the techniques of making wire ropes that permitted the construction of suspension bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge sat as the crowning achievement for this family that gave their lives to the task. And it should be noted that the project was overseen for the final eleven years by a woman!

The Brooklyn Bridge was initially designed by German immigrant John Augustus Roebling, who had previously designed and constructed shorter suspension bridges. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883.  (Wikipedia)

So we will get our exploration started on the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, that symbol of the borough that could not be moved…  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 3976 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to BROOKLYN:

“I’m just a simple kid from Brooklyn who landed into the most enchanted lifestyle imaginable.”
— Michael Musto

“I’m a Brooklyn boy. I was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised there, and spent most of my childhood there.”
— Robert Jay Lifton

“I have made all my films for my children with the exception of my first film because my oldest daughter wasn’t born when I was making the film about the Brooklyn Bridge.”
— Ken Burns

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Edited by Gerald Boerner

Commentary:

The Golden Gate Bridge has been named one of the “U.S. Seven Wonders of World.” Once you have seen it, it’s hard to imagine a more majestic scene. Those two tall towers with the suspension cables running between them holding up that fragile roadway that carries traffic between San Francisco and Marin County. It is the connection between U.S. Highway 101 and State Route 1. It connects the urban center on the south side of San Francisco Bay with the California wine country & rugged northern California coast. It is a link the figuratively bind the coast of California like the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra-Nevada Mountains do for the central and eastern regions.

Interestingly, the San Francisco Bay was not discovered by the explorers meandering along the Pacific coast. The strait between what would become The Presidio and the Marin coast. The bay was an ideal sheltered respit from the fog, winds, and changes in weather. Prior to the Golden Gate Bridge opening in 1937, commuters and vacationers could only get to Santa Rosa and Sausalito by driving around the bay or by taking the ferry across the bay. The bridge made these trips more direct and convenient.

When construction started in 1933, many new construction techniques were developed to meet the special circumstances of the setting. The bridge would have the longest suspension span was the longest in the world for almost two decades. The builders would need to deal with strong tidal currents, fog, and major safety issues. Solutions for each of these problems and aid the building of later projects, such as hardhats, safety nets, etc.

So, let’s get this exploration going.  GLB

These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2010 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved

[ 4124 Words ]
    

Quotations Related to BRIDGE:

“Go to the truth beyond the mind. Love is the bridge.”
— Stephen Levine

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
— Jim Rohn

“Good composition is like a suspension bridge – each line adds strength and takes none away.”
— Robert Henri

continue reading…