Fun Fact: The Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, stretches 5,989 feet over the East River, connecting the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn on Long Island. On completion, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world, the first steel-wire suspension bridge, and the first bridge to connect to Long Island. Construction began in 1870. The Brooklyn Bridge was completed thirteen years later and was opened for use on May 24, 1883. One week after the opening, a rumor that the Bridge was going to collapse caused a stampede, which crushed and killed twelve people. A year later, P. T. Barnum helped to squelch doubts about the bridge's stability—while publicizing his famous circus, led a parade of 21 elephants over the Brooklyn Bridge. The iconic Bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
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