John Roebling's Development and Use of Wire Rope in Western Pennsylvania

John A. Roebling's accomplishments as an innovative and talented engineer and contractor culminated in the completion of several notable wire cable suspension bridges including the Niagara Gorge railroad bridge, the Cincinnati - Covington Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Roebling's success in designing wire cable suspension bridges resulted from his initial experiments with wire rope making and use on several projects in western Pennsylvania. The first successful use of Roebling's wire rope was in 1842 to replace hemp ropes on incline No. 3 on the Allegheny Portage Railroad near Johnstown. Subsequent projects in Pittsburgh included a suspension aqueduct across the Allegheny River (1845) and a suspension bridge across the Monongahela River (1846). Roebling's success with wire rope in western Pennsylvania established his reputation leading to increased demand for and use of wire rope on other projects. To establish a competitive edge and facilitate growth, Roebling relocated his wire manufacturing to Trenton, NJ in 1849, where his enterprises flourished for generations.