Existing comment:
1883
New York Harbor
When construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began in 1869, New York was the greatest seaport on the continent. The center of port traffic was the East River, crowded with sailing ships and steamboats of every size bound for destinations all over the world as well as coastal ports of the United States. Major shipyards in New York produced the sleek, fast clipper ships carrying passengers, mail, and prime cargo across the ocean. The first steamship was in use by 1807, but sail still dominated the East River when the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. Designed by John Roebling and constructed under the direction of his son Washington Roebling, the bridge evoked for the world the success and confidence of the great port city. The following views show New York at that time. |