There’s something about the Brooklyn Bridge, it just calls to you, insisting that you turn in your path and come aboard. Who can pass by without wanting to stroll its length, under the old stones and wires? Not me! Like most folks, I was thrilled at the recent elimination of vendors from the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade. The other day I decided on a whim to take an early walk and thanks to my camera you can come along with me…
Experiencing the bridge like this before the tourists arrive makes me feel like it’s the only way to do it. You really can sit here and enjoy the peace. Not so quiet, though, lots of cars roaring by beneath you!
The first lamps on the bridge when it opened in 1883 were gas arc lights made of cast-iron. Today’s lamps are replicas of the originals.
The circles that look like fans are really “fences” to keep people from climbing up on to the cables. In the center of the circles are doors for the workers to pass through.
In the 1850s, Prussian-born engineer John Augustus Roebling dreamed of a suspension bridge that would make the commute easier for working class New Yorkers. Behold the result.
The Brooklyn Bridge was Roebling’s brainchild, but he wouldn’t live to see its completion. While making measurements for the future bridge in 1869, a ferry crushed Roebling’s foot. The engineer developed tetanus as a result of these wounds and passed away in July 1869.
After Roebling’s death, his son Washington Augustus Roebling stepped in as the bridge project’s chief engineer. The younger Roebling soon developed a problem of his own – he came down with decompression sickness from the digging chambers and was confined to bed.
After Washington Roebling fell ill, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling took command of the project, overseeing the design, construction, and business management of the tremendous undertaking. Emily Warren Roebling is now widely recognized as a pioneering female engineer and a driving force behind the bridge. Following her work on the bridge, Emily went on to earn a degree in law from New York University and published essays in favor of gender equality.
A rooster made the first trip across the bridge! Emily Warren Roebling earned the honor of being the first human to make the trip across the historic bridge, riding proudly in a carriage a week before its official opening in front of an audience that included President Chester A. Arthur. Sitting in Emily’s lap all the while was a rooster, a symbol of good luck.
The corners of the area around the towers have plaques that explain how the bridge was constructed, with a timeline. It’s a great place to pause, read, and take in the awesome view of lower Manhattan.
Pausing at the first tower to look at Pier 17 and the unique skyscrapers of the Financial District. The old buildings of the Seaport District are really dwarved by them. Two very distinct neighborhoods!
A closer look at Pier 17, with Governors Island beyond it to the left. It looks a little shabby here, but Pier 17 is a really happening spot, and a great place to eat. The current iteration of Pier 17 opened in summer 2018 as a concert venue and the broadcasting studio for ESPN, with restaurants from Jean-Georges Vongerichten, David Chang (of Momofuku fame), and other star chefs.
I’ve walked around the Manhattan side tower, and am facing Brooklyn
The twin Gothic arches of the towers are what make them outstandingly beautiful. The towers are 268 feet tall and constructed of limestone, granite and Rosendale cement.
When the Brooklyn Bridge first opened in 1883, it cost a penny to cross by foot, 5 cents for a horse and rider and 10 cents for a horse and wagon. Farm animals were allowed at a price of 5 cents per cow and 2 cents per sheep or hog. Under pressure from civic groups and commuters, the pedestrian toll was repealed in 1891.
Another angle of the cathedral-shaped arch. The arches are over 100′ tall.
At some point during the Cold War, one of the bridge’s compartments transformed into a survival shelter stocked with food and water rations and medical supplies. After fading into obscurity after the close of the Cold War, this fallout shelter was rediscovered in 2006 during a routine structural inspection of the bridge.
The cars rush by below, headed to their Saturday morning destinations.
It’s not as bad as on the Manhattan Bridge, but you can definitely feel the vibration in the cables and beneath your feet. This quick video shows the lamppost rocking from the vibrations.
When the Brooklyn Bridge was finished in 1883, New Yorkers feared that it was destined to collapse in a short time. To convince them of the stability of the work, the great circus P.T. Barnum crossed it with 21 elephants.
The cables that stretch across the length of the bridge are 15-3/4″ thick and made of 19 “strands”. Each strand is made of 278 wires that are 1/8″ thick. That’s a lot of braiding!
There are over 14,000 miles of cable on this bridge!
Between 1948-1954, the Brooklyn Bridge was reconstructed by the New York City Department of Public Works which included the removal of trolley tracks and the strengthening of the inner and outer trusses.
You really can’t blame all the selfie takers you see – the bridge is so wonderful, who wouldn’t want a pic of themselves up here?
The vendors were prohibited as of January 3, 2024. Some of the notifications are still there. The new rules prevent any “peddler, vendor, hawker, or huckster” from selling merchandise or providing a service on any of the city’s bridges or elevated walkways. I saw about 5 police officers scattered around the entrance to the promenade, to enforce the decree. There’s a decent AP News article about it here.
Supposedly the tradition of couples putting a “love lock” on bridges started in Serbia before WWI. Women would write their their and their lover’s names on locks, and lock them to a bridge, hoping that the lock would bind their loves to home. Other people say they originated in China. Over time, a number of famous structures have collapsed from the weight of these locks, so most city governments ban them. In 2013 a group of locksport enthusiasts organized to remove locks from the Brooklyn Bridge.
After the lovers write their names on the lock and fasten it to the bridge, the key is thrown into the water, to symbolize unbreakable love.
The Alfred E. Smith Houses (1953) in the foreground are made up 12 buildings, all 17 stories tall. It covers 21.75 acres has 1,931 apartments, and houses an estimated 5,739 people!
One Manhattan Square is 80 stories high, completed in 2019. It dramatically changed the skyline of the Two Bridges neighborhood. Built on the site of a Pathmark grocery store, wiki says that it has been “compared to a cheese grater”. I’ll never see it the same way again!
The dedicated bike path on the bridge has only been open since 2021. It’s only 8 feet wide for two lanes, but it’s still much better than the constant struggle between walkers and cyclists when the bike path was on the Promenade.
Coming back down to terra firma, the Manhattan Municipal building stands proud like a castle. Completed in 1914, it is one of the largest government buildings in the world. I often walk under it on my way to Chinatown. It’s a beautiful arched “vault”, inspired by the Roman Arch of Constantine. At it’s peak is a 25 foot tall gilded copper statue called “Civic Fame”. I’d love to share the photos I’ve taken of this beauty.
A last look back at the magical Brooklyn Bridge.
Thanks so much for reading, I hope you got a good feel for what the Brooklyn Bridge is like in early morning. Please consider subscribing and you’ll get a short email when new photos posts are added. Your email address will never be shared.
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