The Brooklyn Bridge Opens to the Public

May 24, 1883

 This Friday marks 141 years since the Brooklyn Bridge opened in New York, linking Manhattan and Brooklyn, then distinct cities, over the East River. At the time, the now iconic structure was the longest suspension bridge ever built, and even dubbed “the eighth wonder of the world.” It took a little convincing, though, for some residents to feel safe crossing it. So P.T. Barnum came up with a real whopper of an idea to help: On May 17, 1884, the famed circus founder marched 21 elephants and 17 camels across the bridge, which held up perfectly fine. See the original article about the stunt in The New York Times, and then check out historic photos of the structure being built.