The Brooklyn Bridge: the Roeblings, Emily Warren Roebling and how to walk it well

John Roebling: the designer who never saw it built

Before the bridge, the only way between Manhattan and the then-separate city of Brooklyn was by ferry, and in winter ice on the East River could leave boats stranded. John Augustus Roebling, a German-born engineer who had made his fortune manufacturing wire rope in Trenton, New Jersey, had already built acclaimed suspension bridges at Niagara Falls and Cincinnati. He believed he could span the East River, and in 1867 his design was approved.

He never saw a stone laid. In the summer of 1869, while Roebling was surveying the site for the Brooklyn tower near the Fulton Ferry landing, an arriving ferry crushed his foot against the pilings. Several of his toes were amputated, and he refused conventional treatment in favor of his own water cures. He developed tetanus and died a few weeks later. Responsibility for the bridge passed to his 32-year-old son, Washington.

Opening day, a stampede and Barnum's elephants

The bridge opened on May 24, 1883, with fireworks, cannon salutes and President Chester A. Arthur among the crowds. It had taken about 14 years, cost far more than planned and claimed the lives of a number of workers. It had also survived a scandal: a contractor was caught supplying substandard wire for the cables, and extra wires were added to compensate.

Not everyone trusted the new structure. Six days after the opening, a rumor spread among crowds on the promenade that the bridge was collapsing, and the resulting stampede killed 12 people. A year later, in May 1884, showman P.T. Barnum marched a herd of 21 elephants, including his famous Jumbo, across the bridge. It was great publicity for his circus, and a vivid demonstration that the bridge could take the weight.

A secret in the anchorage

In 2006, city workers inspecting the Manhattan side of the bridge found a forgotten Cold War fallout shelter inside the stone anchorage, still stocked with supplies such as water drums, medical kits and survival crackers, stamped with the dates 1957 and 1962. It's not open to visitors, but it's a good reminder that there's more to the bridge than meets the eye.

Before or after: DUMBO and the waterfront

The neighborhood at the Brooklyn end of the bridge is DUMBO, short for "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass." Its cobbled streets and converted warehouses are full of cafés, bakeries and galleries. Head to Washington Street for the famous view of the Manhattan Bridge framed between old brick buildings, then walk down to Brooklyn Bridge Park for lawns, piers and a vintage carousel beside the water. The views of the bridge you just crossed are superb from here, especially toward sunset.