Williamsburg Bridge

The Williamsburg Bridge stands as a stark departure from the elaborate stone architecture typical of its predecessor, the Brooklyn Bridge. When it opened in 1903, it became the first major suspension bridge in the United States to utilize exposed steel towers rather than masonry. This industrial design was so unconventional at the time that the bridge was criticized for its lack of elegance, with critics famously labeling it a feat of bald utility rather than grace. The steel towers, which reach three hundred and ten feet into the air, are believed by many historians to have been influenced by the work of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, who once worked alongside the bridge's chief engineer, Leffert Buck. Continue