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As one of New York City's most celebrated landmarks, the Brooklyn Bridge stands alongside the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty in iconic status. Stretching 483 meters (1,595 ft) over the East River and totaling 1,814 meters (5,989 ft) in length, this marvel of 19th-century engineering continues to awe visitors and locals alike.
Even now, the towering pillars, rising 84 meters (276 ft) above the water, command attention. The arches are breathtaking, and the 26-meter (85 ft) deck, supported by a intricate web of steel wires, hangs from four massive cables, each 38 centimeters (15 in) thick and composed of 5,434 individual wires. This structural masterpiece supports 145,000 vehicles daily, showcasing its enduring strength.
Beyond its architectural brilliance, the Brooklyn Bridge holds a significant place in American history. Once the world's longest suspension bridge, it has been fraudulently sold multiple times to unsuspecting buyers. This national treasure is steeped in tales that range from inspiring and tragic to utterly bizarre.
10. The Harsh Winter of 1867
In 1867, New York City was a world apart from what it is today. Iconic landmarks like the Chrysler Building and Yankee Stadium were nonexistent, and the Naked Cowboy was nowhere to be seen. Most notably, the five boroughs had yet to unite. Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island operated as independent cities, distinct from Manhattan. Many residents of these areas worked in Manhattan, which often created logistical challenges for Brooklyn dwellers.
Traveling from Brooklyn to Manhattan required crossing the East River. In 1867, without a bridge, ferries were the only option. While this worked fine in fair weather, winter posed a significant problem. The East River froze multiple times between 1813 and 1857, and the freeze of 1867 was the breaking point. Ships became trapped in the ice, forcing some commuters to skate to work. The situation made it clear—especially to those lacking skating skills—that a bridge was urgently needed.
9. Corruption and a Crushed Foot
Long before the harsh winter of 1867, German-born engineer John Roebling had already envisioned a bridge. Recognizing the East River's turbulent waters and heavy ship traffic, Roebling proposed a suspension bridge design. This would allow vessels to pass freely beneath, supported by four robust cables. However, securing approval required navigating political corruption. After New York State Senator Henry C. Murphy bribed the infamous William “Boss” Tweed, Roebling began drafting plans and assembling his team.
Unfortunately, Roebling never saw his dream realized. In 1869, while taking compass measurements, his foot became trapped between a ferry and a piling. The collision crushed his foot, leading doctors to amputate his toes. Despite the surgery, Roebling developed tetanus, fell into a coma, and passed away shortly after. The responsibility of constructing the Brooklyn Bridge then shifted to his son, Washington Roebling.
8. Caissons and the Bends
Following in his father’s footsteps, Washington Roebling was a skilled builder. His experience included constructing bridges for the Union Army during the Civil War and assisting his father with the Cincinnati–Covington Bridge. His expertise was crucial for the Brooklyn project, as the challenges ahead would test even the most seasoned engineer.
The initial stage focused on constructing the two towers, which required a foundation on solid bedrock. Workers faced the challenge of excavating through layers of soft mud beneath the water to establish a granite base. The solution was far from pleasant. Roebling devised a plan involving caissons—massive wooden boxes submerged by granite blocks. These structures were filled with pressurized oxygen, allowing workers, known as “sandhogs,” to breathe while they dug and blasted through the riverbed.
Unsurprisingly, the work was perilous. The caissons were filled with compressed air, and sandhogs handled dynamite and gas lanterns, creating a hazardous environment. Fires erupted multiple times, adding to the danger. The intense heat caused headaches and nosebleeds, making the job even more grueling. For their efforts, the sandhogs earned a meager two dollars a day.
While fires were a significant threat, the most alarming danger was “caisson disease.” This mysterious illness struck suddenly, causing severe joint pain, convulsions, and nausea. In some cases, workers were left paralyzed. Over 100 men were affected, with several fatalities and many left permanently disabled.
The Manhattan-side tower posed particular challenges. While the Brooklyn tower reached bedrock at 13 meters (44 ft), the Manhattan side’s ground was unstable. When workers reached 24 meters (78 ft), Roebling decided further digging was too risky. He halted the operation, hoping the existing foundation would suffice. Fortunately, his decision proved correct.
Sandhogs spent their entire shifts in compressed air. At the end of their shifts, they ascended to the surface in airlocks too quickly for their bodies to adjust. This rapid pressure change caused nitrogen bubbles to form in their tissues and bloodstream, leading to excruciating pain. Today, this condition is recognized as the bends or decompression sickness.
Washington Roebling, the man overseeing the Brooklyn Bridge project, also fell victim to caisson disease. He endured two severe attacks that left him partially paralyzed. With his condition deteriorating, the sandhogs were left in need of a new leader.
7. The Woman Who Saved the Brooklyn Bridge
It seemed as though the Brooklyn Bridge bore a vendetta against the Roebling family. Both John and Washington were determined to build it, yet both faced tragic fates—death and injury. Paralyzed, partially blind, deaf, and mute, Washington could only observe the construction through binoculars from his bedroom window. Despite his physical limitations, his mind remained sharp, and his team still required guidance. The question was, how could he relay his expertise to the sandhogs?
Enter Emily Warren Roebling. The couple met at a military ball and married in 1865, thrusting Emily into the world of construction. As her father-in-law planned the Brooklyn Bridge, Washington traveled the globe to study caissons, with Emily by his side. She gained extensive knowledge about bridge-building. When John passed away and Washington took over, Emily immersed herself in engineering to support her husband. Little did she know, her role would become far more significant than she had anticipated.
With Washington confined to his bed, Emily stepped into the role of his primary liaison. She frequently visited the construction sites, delivering his instructions to the workers and relaying their questions back to him. Over time, her responsibilities expanded. The crew began to see her as their leader, and as her expertise and confidence grew, she essentially became the project’s chief engineer. She represented the Roeblings and the bridge in public, engaging with officials, consulting with engineers, and guiding the sandhogs.
Emily was not someone to be underestimated. When the American Society of Civil Engineers considered replacing Washington, she made history as the first woman to address the organization. Her powerful speech defending her husband left the committee impressed, and they decided to retain Washington—and, by extension, Emily—in their roles.
The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge spanned 14 years, with Emily overseeing the project for 11 of those years. On its grand opening on May 24, 1883, she was among the first to cross the bridge, accompanying President Chester A. Arthur. New York Congressman Abram S. Hewitt praised her contributions, telling the crowd that Emily deserved as much recognition as Washington, who observed the ceremony from his bedroom window.
Emily lived a remarkable life until her passing in 1903. She met Queen Victoria, attended Tsar Nicholas II’s coronation, supported Spanish–American War relief efforts, and earned a law degree from New York University—all while raising two children.
6. Elephants on the Bridge
Upon its completion, the Brooklyn Bridge had incurred a cost of around $15 million and claimed the lives of 27 workers. Beyond caisson disease, some unfortunate sandhogs were killed by falling machinery. One worker met a tragic end when a snapped cable flung him off the structure.
The fatalities didn’t cease after construction ended. Just days after the grand opening, on May 30, another disaster occurred.
Despite its engineering marvel, many were apprehensive about crossing the bridge. Suspended over the river and crowded with people, horses, and carriages, it seemed precarious. When a woman stumbled accidentally, someone screamed, “The bridge is collapsing!” This sparked a panic, resulting in 12 deaths and 36 injuries as people scrambled to escape.
To restore public confidence, city officials enlisted the help of P.T. Barnum, a renowned showman. As the head of Barnum & Bailey Circus, Barnum owned Jumbo, an elephant famously billed as “the largest known animal in creation.” Officials asked Barnum to parade Jumbo across the bridge, and he eagerly agreed, seizing the opportunity for free publicity.
On May 17, 1884, P.T. Barnum orchestrated a grand parade from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Leading the procession were 21 elephants, trailed by 17 camels. At the end was Jumbo, standing meters (12 ft) tall and weighing 5.5 metric tons (6 tons), a symbol of immense strength. Ten thousand spectators gathered to witness the majestic creature’s march, and after the event, public confidence in the Brooklyn Bridge’s safety was firmly restored.
5. The First Man to Jump Off the Brooklyn Bridge
In 2013, tabloids were abuzz when a woman took a selfie in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, capturing a jumper in the background. While this man wasn’t the first to attempt such a leap, not all who jump are seeking to end their lives. In 1993, French thrill-seeker Thierry Devaux attached himself to a bungee cord and successfully jumped off the bridge eight times.
Interestingly, Devaux shared similarities with the first man to leap from the bridge. Professor Robert Emmet Odlum, like the Frenchman, wasn’t attempting suicide. Instead, his jump was intended to save lives, making his daring act a gesture of heroism rather than despair.
Odlum was passionate about two things: promoting safety and executing daring feats. His primary mission was to encourage people to leap from burning buildings. During fires, those on upper floors often hesitated to jump into safety nets, fearing they would suffocate mid-air. To debunk this myth, Odlum jumped off multiple bridges to demonstrate the safety of such actions. When the Brooklyn Bridge was completed, he saw it as the ultimate stage for his bold plunge into the East River.
Authorities were less than thrilled with Odlum’s plan. On May 19, 1885, the day of his jump, police swarmed the area. Thousands of spectators gathered, and officers inspected every vehicle crossing the bridge in search of the daredevil. Odlum, however, had a trick up his sleeve. He sent a decoy to distract the police while he made his way to the railing. Raising one hand to stabilize his descent, he took the leap.
The jump didn’t go as intended. Approximately 30 meters (100 ft) above the water, Odlum twisted mid-air and struck the river sideways. The impact rendered him unconscious, and a friend had to swim to his aid. After being pulled onto a boat, Odlum briefly regained consciousness, asking if he had succeeded. Those were his final words.
Odlum began coughing up blood almost immediately. By the time an ambulance arrived, he had succumbed to his injuries, which included broken ribs and severe damage to his kidney, liver, and spleen. Despite the tragic outcome, he had proven his theory: it’s not the fall that’s fatal—it’s the landing.
4. The Cold War Bunker
The 1950s were a tense era, marked by the Cold War, the Space Race, and nuclear testing. Across the United States, anxious citizens constructed shelters in fear of a Soviet surprise attack. New Yorkers were no exception, preparing for potential threats and remaining vigilant. During the Korean War, measures like floodlights and barbed wire were installed on the city’s bridges to deter saboteurs.
Fast forward to 2006, and the Soviet Union had dissolved. The nuclear threat had faded, and most New Yorkers had moved on from Cold War anxieties. However, during an inspection of the Brooklyn Bridge, workers uncovered a hidden room filled with boxes and barrels. Many of the boxes were labeled “For Use Only After Enemy Attack,” revealing a long-forgotten Cold War bunker.
The bunker was stocked with survival essentials for a nuclear catastrophe. Workers discovered medical supplies, blankets, metal drums for water storage or makeshift toilets, and around 352,000 crackers. Most items dated back to 1957 or 1962, coinciding with the launch of Sputnik and the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Paranoia was rampant during that era, but the supplies in the bunker would have been of little use. In 1959, the government estimated that if the Soviets detonated two hydrogen bombs over New York City, approximately 6.1 million people would perish. The Brooklyn Bridge itself would likely have been destroyed as well.
3. The Brooklyn Bridge Love Locks
New York City is often seen as a romantic destination, and the Brooklyn Bridge is a particularly enchanting spot for couples. Many love-struck pairs have attached padlocks to the bridge as symbols of their unending affection.
The love locks vary in shape and size, but they all share a common feature: each padlock is inscribed with the names of the couple who placed it on the bridge. Some use simple markers, while others opt for laser engraving. After securing the lock, the couple throws the key into the East River, symbolizing their unbreakable bond—until a city worker arrives with bolt cutters to remove it.
City officials disapprove of the practice. As a national landmark, the bridge cannot be altered in any way. Additionally, the locks could cause structural damage, similar to what happened to the Pont de Arts Bridge in Paris. Crews remove the locks two to three times a month, collecting them in buckets. By March 2014, nearly 5,600 locks had been removed in less than a year. Hopefully, the couples behind these locks remain united despite the removals.
2. The Brooklyn Bridge Shooting
In 2003, an inept terrorist named Iyman Faris devised a bizarre plan to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge. This Al-Qaeda operative intended to use a blowtorch to sever the bridge’s cables, but his scheme failed miserably. However, another terrorist targeting the bridge achieved far more success.
Rashid Baz, a 28-year-old Lebanese man, was a self-proclaimed “Arab soldier” who stored an arsenal in his New York apartment. His weapons weren’t for protection. After Baruch Goldstein, a Brooklyn-born doctor, killed 29 Muslims in the West Bank, Baz armed himself and sought vengeance.
On March 1, 1994, a van carrying Hasidic teenagers was crossing the Brooklyn Bridge when Rashid Baz’s Chevy Caprice approached from behind. He unleashed a barrage of bullets from a submachine gun, targeting the van’s rear window and driver’s side. When his weapon jammed, he switched to a pistol, continuing to fire until it also malfunctioned. Baz injured three students and killed a 16-year-old.
Following the attack, Baz and two accomplices attempted to conceal the crime by disposing of shell casings and repairing the car’s damaged window. However, law enforcement quickly caught up with him. In court, Baz initially blamed the incident on road rage but later pleaded insanity, citing traumatic memories from his childhood in war-torn Lebanon. The jury rejected his defense and sentenced him to 141 years in prison.
1. The Abandoned Champagne Cellars
The Brooklyn Bridge hides more than just a Cold War bunker. Beneath the ramps leading to its anchorages lie massive stone chambers, some towering 17 meters (55 ft) high. While they now store maintenance equipment and occasionally shelter vagrants, these vaults were once filled with rows of champagne bottles when the bridge first opened.
To recover some of the bridge’s construction costs, city officials leased these vaults to wine merchants for champagne storage. The cellars were ideal for maintaining cool temperatures, consistently staying around 15 degrees Celsius (60 °F). During Prohibition, they stored tools and newsprint, but after the 21st Amendment, they returned to housing countless bottles of champagne.
The cellars hosted lively parties alongside the endless champagne. Guests enjoyed drinks while bands provided entertainment, and the walls were adorned with witty phrases in French, German, Italian, and English. One popular motto read, “Who loveth not wine, women, and song, he remaineth a fool his whole life long.” Each cellar had its own identity, such as the “Blue Grotto,” named for a Madonna statue that overlooked the festivities.
