Brooklyn Bridge History - New York Bridges

Standing as one of America's premier modern era constructions, the Brooklyn Bridge, spans over the East River from New York City, between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Cars, trains, pedestrians use this bridge daily by the thousands and it has become a staple of New York City History.

In 1855, John Roebling, owner of a wire-rope company proposed a suspension bridge over the East River after becoming impatient with the Atlantic Avenue-Fulton Street Ferry. The bridge was originally created and designed by the early American engineer John Augustus Roebling and construction began in 1869 by his son, Washington Augustus Roebling.

He thought his design entitled the bridge "to be ranked as a national monument… a great work of art."

RECORD SETTING: When the Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on May 24, 1883, it was inaugurated as the longest suspension bridge in the world. The main suspension span of the roadway and bridge is 1,595 ft long - and the average height above the river waters is 133 ft - the overall length is 6,016 ft.

Brooklyn Bridge Facts:

Date Completed: 1883

Tallest Height: 272 feet

Length: 6016 feet

Designed in 1867, the bridge's prototype was a similar, though it was a smaller structure over the Ohio River near the then booming town of Cincinnati, the dramatic butressed gothic towers were constructed entirely of earth solid granite. The roadway platform hung on two inch diameter steel suspenders strung from pairs of cables giving it's it recognizable appearance.

Also featured are the catenaries - sixteen inches in diameter. Many cables support the weight of this massive structure. Each cable is composed of 5,296 galvanized steel wires. Total length of all the wire used is 14,357 miles, each of the four cables is capable of sustaining a live load of 12,000 tons. Proved by Dumbo crossing the bridge on the first day.

But the opening of the bridge in 1883 was violent by the deaths of twelve pedestrians who were trampled during a panic set off by a shouted warning, the vibrations of the bridge feared some that the bridge was in danger of imminent collapse.

It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964