The Brooklyn Bridge is the most iconic engineering marvel and is also perceived as the 8th wonder of the world.
The Brooklyn Bridge was originally erected to connect the two city halls of Manhattan and Brooklyn when they were separate cities in 1883. At that time, the only way across the East River was by ferry, but the river kept freezing up solid in the late 1800s. This resulted in the two mayors’ demand to construct a bridge. If you want to acquire some odd facts about the Brooklyn Bridge, keep scrolling!
A little bribery to start the construction
The Brooklyn Bridge in its initial conception had an honorable goal of offering a safe passage across the frigid East River. However, the methods employed to get the project started weren’t quite as honorable. After the New York Bridge Company hired John A. Roebling to help span the river, the infamous political kingpin William “Boss” Tweed funneled $65,000 in bribes to city aldermen to secure funding for the bridge.
14 years and 600 workers
The construction of the bridge took nearly 14 years and was opened in 1883, finally linking Manhattan with Brooklyn. It had taken over 600 workers to transform 6,740 tons of material into the iconic wonder of the Industrial Revolution. Four cables, each 3578 feet long, 15.5 inches thick, and made up of 21,000 individual wires offer support to the bridge.
Plagued by tragedies
The exact number of casualties during the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge is not known, but at least 20 people died building the architectural masterpiece. Several workers accidentally fell off the bridge, were hit by debris, or got caisson disease. Even after the opening of the bridge, tragic deaths continued to occur. On Memorial day of 1883, an estimated 20,000 people were on the bridge when allegedly a rumor spread, stating that the bridge was about to collapse. This ensued panic and twelve people were trampled to death on the narrow stairways, while numerous others were injured.
Peregrine falcons nest atop
Peregrine falcons began disappearing from the eastern United States due to DDT poisoning. The birds made a comeback after 1972 when the pesticide was banned. Soon after this, the birds began thriving in New York City. The Peregrine falcons regularly use the two towers as their nesting place. Currently, about 16 pairs live in the Brooklyn Bridge and have become one of their fondest places for nesting.
The facts are pretty odd, huh?
