NYC Placename

The Outerbridge Crossing is a bridge that spans the Arthur Kill, a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The bridge is named after Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge, who was the first chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge was born in 1860 in Staten Island and worked as a civil engineer. He was instrumental in the development of the Outerbridge Crossing and was the first person to propose a bridge between Staten Island and New Jersey.

The construction of the Outerbridge Crossing began in 1923 and was completed in 1928. It was the first bridge to connect Staten Island to the mainland and was an important transportation link for the growing population of the region.

The Outerbridge Crossing is a suspension bridge that is approximately two miles long. It is currently used for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic and is one of four bridges that connect Staten Island to New Jersey.

The Outerbridge Crossing has undergone several renovations and upgrades over the years, including the addition of a new deck and the widening of the bridge to accommodate more traffic. Today, it remains an important transportation link and a vital piece of infrastructure for the New York and New Jersey region.

Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge was a civil engineer and transportation pioneer who was born in 1860 in Staten Island, New York. He was the son of a wealthy merchant and attended Columbia University, where he earned a degree in civil engineering.

Outerbridge worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and later became the chief engineer for the Staten Island Rapid Transit Railway. He was instrumental in the development of the railway system on Staten Island, which played a significant role in the growth and development of the borough.

Outerbridge was also a driving force behind the construction of the Outerbridge Crossing, which was the first bridge to connect Staten Island to New Jersey. He was the first person to propose the idea of a bridge between the two states and worked tirelessly to make the project a reality.

In addition to his work in transportation, Outerbridge was also involved in politics. He served as the president of the Richmond County Republican Club and was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1903 to 1904.

Outerbridge died in 1932 at the age of 72, but his legacy lives on through the Outerbridge Crossing, which bears his name. He is remembered as a visionary engineer and a key figure in the development of transportation infrastructure in the New York City area.

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Originally called the Arthur Kill Bridge, it was later named in honor Eugenius H.Outerbridge, who was the Port Authority’s first chairman and one of the signers of the compact between New York and New Jersey that created the Port Authority.

https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/Outerbridge-crossing/history.html#:~:text=Originally%20called%20the%20Arthur%20Kill,that%20created%20the%20Port%20Authority.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenius_Harvey_Outerbridge

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=newjersey/outerbridgecrossing/

https://untappedcities.com/2011/09/01/outerbridge-is-a-person-youre-kidding-right/

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.

Oops! Can you spot the Typo?

The Bruckners were a family of Austrian immigrants who settled in the Bronx, New York City in the early 20th century. The patriarch of the family, Karl Bruckner, was a skilled metalworker who found work in the city’s growing manufacturing industry.

Karl’s son, Robert Bruckner, was born in the Bronx in 1908 and grew up to become a successful businessman and politician. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1949.

One of Robert Bruckner’s major achievements was the construction of the Bruckner Expressway, a major highway that runs through the Bronx and connects to the New England Thruway. The highway was built in the 1950s and was named in honor of Robert Bruckner, who was instrumental in securing funding for the project.

In addition to the expressway, a major boulevard in the Bronx was also named after the Bruckner family. Bruckner Boulevard runs through the South Bronx and is a major commercial and transportation artery.

Today, the Bruckner family is remembered for their contributions to the development of the Bronx and their legacy lives on through the major infrastructure projects that bear their name.

So just who was Major Deegan and why does he get an expressway? What did Hutchinson do to merit a parkway?

Growing up in New York City (Brooklyn, to be precise), you heard place names so often they just became background noise. Like lyrics in many songs, I heard the words but didn’t listen to the meaning behind the words. The Holland Tunnel was clearly a reference to the city’s historical connection to New Amsterdam. Shea Stadium was just a name. And obviously, the Outerbridge Crossing was one of the outer bridges connecting New York to the rest of the world. It was when I found that the Outerbridge Crossing was named after Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge, my world view changed.

Some place names I feel are to famous/obvious. These include:

• George Washington Bridge
• Alexander Hamilton Bridge 
• Verrazano Bridge
• Jacky Robinson 
• Hugh Carey Tunnel (which will forever really be the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel)
• Robert Moses Beach 
• Ed Koch 
• RFK 

But others, like the list on the side (and on my Working List), have been taken for granted and their story should be told. Feel free to comment below with other place names I should research or provide stories of your own!