Welcome to Bedtime History.
Hello, this is Breck.
I'm super excited to announce Bedtime History's very first novel.
It's a fast-paced time travel adventure about two teen agents who work for a secret organization that protects history.
Their mission is to stop a mysterious enemy from changing the past and messing up the future.
Along the way they visit iconic locations, meet famous adventurers and learn why these moments in history matter.
It's packed with action, curiosity and imagination, perfect for kids who love adventure and discovering how the world was shaped.
The book is now available on Amazon as both an e-book and print book.
Just search Explorer Society, World's Fair Conspiracy or check the show notes of my latest episodes for a direct link.
I'd love for you to check it out, and all proceeds go to supporting Bedtime History.
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world.
It connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City.
When it opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built.
It was also the first bridge to use steel cables.
The bridge quickly became a symbol of New York and American engineering.
Before the bridge was built, people had to travel between Brooklyn and Manhattan by ferry.
This was difficult in bad weather.
Ice on the river could stop ferries from running.
New York was growing fast and more people needed to travel between the two boroughs for work and business.
A bridge would make it easier and safer.
The idea for the Brooklyn Bridge came from a man named John A. Roebling.
He was a German-born engineer who had built other suspension bridges.
Roebling had a vision for a great bridge across the East River.
He planned a bridge that would be strong, beautiful, and big enough for many people to use.
He designed it to carry horse drawn wagons, trains, and people walking.
In 1869, just as work was about to begin, John Roebling had a terrible accident.
While checking the site, his foot was crushed between a ferry and a dock.
He became sick and died a few weeks later.
His son, Washington Roebling, took over the project.
Washington had helped his father on other bridges and was a skilled engineer.
The work on the bridge was difficult and dangerous.
The first step was to build two large towers in the river.
These towers would hold the steel cables that supported the bridge.
To build the towers, workers had to go deep underwater.
They worked inside huge airtight boxes called caissons.
These boxes were placed on the riverbed, and workers dug out mud and rocks.
Working inside the caissons was risky.
The air pressure was high, and many workers became sick.
Some got a disease called the bends, which happens when pressure changes too quickly.
Washington Roebling got very sick from working in the caissons.
He was so badly hurt that he could not go back to the worksite, but he didn't give up.
Even though he could not walk or speak well, Washington Roebling kept leading the project.
He watched the work from his window and gave instructions to his wife, Emily Warren Roebling.
Emily played a big part in the bridge's success.
She studied engineering and spoke with the workers every day.
She became the link between Washington and the crew.
The construction took 14 years.
The bridge had to be very strong to hold heavy loads and to survive wind and weather.
Four main cables, each made of thousands of steel wires, were stretched between the towers.
These cables held up the roadway.
At the time, people had never seen a bridge like this.
It was longer and higher than any other suspension bridge in the world.
The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883.
Thousands of people came to see it.
Flags flew, bands played music and President Chester A Arthur joined the Mayor of New York City for the opening.
Emily Roebling was the first person to cross the bridge.
She rode across in a carriage carrying a rooster, which was a sign of victory.
At first, some people were afraid the bridge might fall.
To show it was safe, P.T.
Barnum, a famous showman, marched 21 elephants across the bridge in 1884.
After that, people began to trust it more.
The Brooklyn Bridge quickly became an important part of New York life.
It made it easier for people to travel and helped Brooklyn and Manhattan grow closer together.
Before the bridge, Brooklyn was a separate city.
A few years after the bridge opened, Brooklyn became part of New York City.
The bridge has gone through many changes over the years.
It once carried streetcars and trains.
Today it carries cars, bikes, and pedestrians.
Thousands of people cross it every day.
It has also been repaired and strengthened many times to make sure it stays safe.
The Brooklyn Bridge is more than just a way to cross the river.
It is a symbol of hard work, hope, and determination.
It shows what people can do when they believe in a big idea and never give up.
The Roeblings, John, Washington, and Emily, showed great courage and strength.
The workers who built the bridge faced danger every day but kept going.
Today, people from all over the world visit the Brooklyn Bridge.
They walk across it, take pictures, and admire its beauty.
It still stands tall almost 150 years after it was built.
The story of the Brooklyn Bridge is a story of teamwork, bravery, and the power of dreams.
