AVB
Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
124 years ago, on May 24th, 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, was opened to traffic. On completion, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.
Construction began in January 3, 1870. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883. On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed. The bridge's main span over the East River is 1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m). The bridge cost $15.1 million to build and approximately 27 people died during its construction. A week after the opening, on May 30, a rumor that the Bridge was going to break down caused a stampede which crushed and then killed twelve people.
At the time it opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world — 50% longer than any previously built — and it has become a treasured landmark to the city. Additionally, for several years the towers were the tallest structures in the Western Hemisphere.
Construction began in January 3, 1870. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883. On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed. The bridge's main span over the East River is 1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m). The bridge cost $15.1 million to build and approximately 27 people died during its construction. A week after the opening, on May 30, a rumor that the Bridge was going to break down caused a stampede which crushed and then killed twelve people.
At the time it opened, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world — 50% longer than any previously built — and it has become a treasured landmark to the city. Additionally, for several years the towers were the tallest structures in the Western Hemisphere.
