The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, and at the time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It was also the first to use steel wire for its cables. Not everyone trusted it.
A bridge people did not trust
Building the bridge took 14 years and cost many lives, including its original designer, John A. Roebling, who died of an infection after an accident at the site. His son Washington Roebling took over, then fell seriously ill from decompression sickness after working in the underwater caissons. He ran the project from his window, with his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, relaying instructions and learning enough engineering to manage the work.
The stampede
Just days after the opening, on Memorial Day weekend, a rumor spread that the bridge was collapsing. A panic broke out on the crowded walkway, and 12 people were crushed in the stampede. The bridge itself was fine. But the fear was real, and it lingered.
Enter the elephants
In May 1884, showman P. T. Barnum marched a herd of 21 elephants across the bridge, to prove that it was strong enough for anything. Crowds lined the span to watch. The bridge did not budge, and the public's nerves settled.
Cross it yourself
Today, the pedestrian promenade is one of the best free walks in the city. Go early to avoid crowds, and look up at the stone towers' pointed arches. They are Gothic details on a very modern machine. Start in Brooklyn and walk toward Manhattan for the skyline view ahead of you the whole way.
