The Goethals Bridge, which connects Elizabeth, New Jersey to Staten Island, New York, is named after Major General George Washington Goethals.
George Washington Goethals was a United States Army officer and civil engineer who was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1858. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1880 and was later appointed as the chief engineer of the Panama Canal project.
Under Goethals’ leadership, the Panama Canal was completed in 1914, an engineering feat that greatly enhanced international trade and travel. He was also responsible for the construction of several major bridges, including the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing, and the Bayonne Bridge, all of which connect New York and New Jersey.
Goethals died in 1928, but his contributions to engineering and infrastructure development continue to be recognized today. The Goethals Bridge, which was completed in 1928, was named in his honor as a testament to his achievements and legacy.