The John Roebling wire rope workshop is more than an important part of Saxonburg’s history — it’s the location of a landmark innovation that literally changed how much of the world was built.

Roebling, one of the founders of Saxonburg, developed the braided wire rope that was used to suspend the deck of the Brooklyn Bridge. And the building where he developed wire rope is still standing — but is in dire need of repairs.

The workshop’s foundation has been sinking for nearly 10 year now and that has forced Saxonburg to restrict access to the building. For more than a year now, residents have been raising money to help cover the $250,000 estimated cost of repairs.

To help pay for the work, the municipality is applying for a $90,000 grant for historic preservation. If awarded, Friends of the Saxonburg Museum, a nonprofit that runs the museum and cares for the wire rope workshop, would contribute $90,000 from the wire rope workshop fund.

Time is of the essence. As borough manager Stephen May said, the snow this winter hasn’t made things better.

But, he said, snow hasn’t built up on the roof, a problem that was so common the borough uses a rake on a 30-foot pole to clear snow and keep the weight on the roof to a minimum.

We are very lucky to still have such a strong physical connection to Roebling and his work. We support Saxonburg’s efforts to preserve those sites.

— JK