Brooklyn Bridge! I always thought the bridge was a 1920s/1930s thing, but construction started just after the Civil War. CIVIL WAR. At the time, which was prior to the advent of steel-skeleton buildings, the Manhattan skyline was an average of four stories tall. (The structures were masonry, so the higher the building, the thicker the walls had to be.)
Because of the limit on building height and the fact that the island of Manhattan was starting to fill up, people thought the future was in Brooklyn where there was more space to expand. Some believed that Brooklyn would overtake Manhattan as the heart of the city.
For commuters between the two boroughs, the best way to cross the river was by ferry boat. That worked well until one winter when the East River froze. So they decided to build a bridge.
It had to be high enough to allow boat traffic to go under it, which meant it would end up being the longest bridge in the world. Plus, the bridge’s towers would have to be 275 feet tall, about seven times taller than Manhattan’s skyline. Fortunately, the engineer who invented wire rope was on hand, and the rest is history.
The bridge was an instant hit, and (at the time) an engineering masterpiece. And it’s still delightful to walk the wooden promenade.
We were there on September 11, so there was a parade of flag-waving jet skiers. It felt surreal to be there on that day, especially since you can see the One World Trade Center tower so prominently from the bridge.
And the army, crossing from Brooklyn to Manhattan. (Going to the World Trade Center complex maybe?)

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