Brooklyn Bridge Opens: America's Longest Suspension Span
The Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic on May 24, 1883, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn across the East River with a span of 1,595 feet, making it the longest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge took 14 years to build. Its designer, John Augustus Roebling, died of tetanus from a foot injury sustained during initial surveying. His son Washington Roebling took over but suffered decompression sickness ("the bends") from working in the underwater caissons and supervised the final decade of construction from his bedroom window using a telescope. His wife Emily Warren Roebling managed day-to-day construction and became so knowledgeable that many assumed she had designed the bridge. Opening day drew an estimated 150,300 pedestrians and 1,800 vehicles.
May 24, 1883
143 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on May 24
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