September 11, 2023
Brooklyn Bridge: Fun Facts & Things To Do
The Brooklyn Bridge is more than a passage between Manhattan and Brooklyn — it's an emblem of innovation and architectural brilliance. Completed in 1883 after a 14-year build, it was, at the time, the longest suspension bridge in the world.
How it was built
Construction ran from 1869 to 1883. Workers endured decompression sickness — “caisson disease” — and several tragedies along the way. The structure is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension design, with the recognizable Gothic towers and cable network creating its skyline silhouette.
Fun facts
- John A. Roebling designed the bridge; his son Washington continued the work after his death, with Washington's wife Emily Warren Roebling overseeing final completion
- President Chester A. Arthur and Mayor Franklin Edson opened it, joined by roughly 150,000 people
- P.T. Barnum marched 21 elephants across it in 1884 to prove it was structurally sound
The best things to do on it
- Walk the elevated pedestrian path — free, and the classic view of the skyline and neighboring bridges
- Rent a bike and cross in the designated lane
- Go at night for the lights and a quieter crossing
- Explore DUMBO on the Brooklyn side afterward
