Hi! My name is Brooke Wamsley and I am leading the Save the Bridge initiative in Roebling Park, Saxonburg, PA. This committee is under a nonprofit organization, Friends of the Saxonburg Museum.

John Roebling’s Wire Rope Workshop will be starting renovations soon and replacing its foundation. Because the Brooklyn Bridge Replica is attached to the building, it must be moved to its new location approximately 100 yards from where it currently sits. It will be rebuilt there!

The bridge replica was initially used as a parade float in Butler County’s bicentennial parade. It was built by my grandfather and some of his friends in the Saxony Shrine Club. They later installed it in Roebling Park, for what they thought would be forever. It was placed between the park’s pavilion and the workshop. 17 years later, the wire rope workshop’s foundation started falling apart and at that time it was discovered that since the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it could not have anything attached to it (meaning the bridge).

Since 2023, I have been raising awareness about saving the bridge replica to preserve our local heritage. We are planning to take it down brick by brick and rebuild it next to the Saxonburg Museum. We were initially quoted around $50k to complete the project, BUT then we received material donations that knocked that number WAY down. We also found that we can reuse a lot of the current materials. What we need funds for: additional stone, a plaque, & labor. We will also need funds to maintain the structure to keep it in great condition for many generations to come. As of March 21st we were at $13,154.84 raised so far.

The bridge has served as a beautiful backdrop for many Saxonburg memories and we are working endlessly to keep it that way. Every single $1 helps us more than you know!!!! If everyone could donate $20 we would be so grateful.

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