Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY 10038, United States

Brooklyn Bridge, suspension bridge spanning New York City’s East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan. A genius feat of engineering in the 19th century, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to use steel for cable wire, and explosives were first used inside a pneumatic caisson during its construction. It was listed by the US as a National Historic Landmark. Support National Park.

Proposals were first made in the early 19th century for a bridge linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, which ultimately led to the building of the current span, designed by John A. Roebling. His son Washington Roebling supervised the building and aided by the latter’s wife, Emily Warren Roebling, contributed further design work. Although construction began in 1870, multiple controversies and the novelty of the planned construction process provoked a 13-year prolongation of the actual build. The Brooklyn Bridge has undergone many reconfigurations since its construction, carrying horse-drawn vehicles and elevated railroad lines until 1950. Additional bridges and tunnels were built across the East River to mitigate the rising traffic flows. The Brooklyn Bridge has been restored many times after a steady decline, including in the 1950s, 1980s and 2010s.

Since January 29, 1964, the Brooklyn Bridge has been listed as a National Historic Landmark, and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. The bridge has also been a landmark listed in New York City since 24 August 1967 and was named a Landmark of National Historic Civil Engineering in 1972. It was also placed on the list of tentative World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2017.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the southernmost of four toll-free vehicle bridges that link Manhattan Island and Long Island to the north with the Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges. Only passenger vehicles are permitted, and pedestrian and bicycle traffic. After its completion, the Brooklyn Bridge has become a major tourist attraction and a symbol of New York City. The bridge has been used over the years as the venue for numerous stunts and events, as well as for many crimes and attacks. The Brooklyn Bridge has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, a landmark of New York City and a Landmark of National Historic Civil Engineering.

The Manhattan anchorage, which was established on the Samuel Osgood House site at 1 Cherry Street in Manhattan, has a bronze plaque attached to. Completed in 1770, it was named after Samuel Osgood, a senator and lawyer from Massachusetts, and served as the first US presidential residence. The House in Osgood was demolished in 1856.

Another plaque on the side of the pedestrian promenade in Manhattan, built by the city in 1975, indicates the status of the bridge as a landmark in the region.