21 Elephants Walked Across the Brooklyn Bridge in 1884 to Prove Its Safety

"When the Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, it immediately captured the city's attention. Stretching between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built, and people were eager to see it up close. The very next day, more than 150,000 pedestrians crossed it, along with around 1,800 vehicles. The bridge held steady, and New Yorkers began using it almost without hesitation."

"Still, there was unease beneath the excitement. Suspension bridges had a troubled past, and earlier collapses had not been forgotten. One failure in West Virginia in 1854, triggered by strong winds, lingered in public memory. For many residents, the sheer size of the Brooklyn Bridge made it feel uncertain, and that quiet worry followed the crowds during its first week."

"Everything changed on May 30, 1883. Memorial Day brought huge crowds to the bridge, with estimates putting the number of pedestrians close to 20,000. Near a narrow staircase at the Manhattan entrance, someone stumbled. Screaming followed, and two opposing streams of foot traffic jammed together. Confusion spread fast. People fell, and others kept pushing, unsure of what was happening or why."

"By the end of the chaos, 12 people had died, and dozens more were seriously injured. Later investigations confirmed that the bridge itself never failed. It stood solid throughout the panic. Still, public trust took a hit. The structure survived, but its image suffered. Even so, people kept using it. Trains running across the bridge carried about nine million passengers in the first year, and that number doubled the next year. The bridge had become essential, even as lingering fear refused to fully disappear."

The Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, as the longest suspension bridge, attracting massive pedestrian and vehicle traffic immediately. Early public unease stemmed from prior suspension-bridge failures, including an 1854 West Virginia collapse caused by wind. On May 30, Memorial Day crowds of about 20,000 triggered a panic after a stumble near a narrow Manhattan-entrance staircase, producing a fatal stampede that killed 12 and injured dozens. Investigations found the bridge structurally sound, but public trust suffered. Usage nonetheless increased dramatically, with trains carrying about nine million passengers in the first year and double that the following year. Officials pursued visible demonstrations to reassure the public, involving P.T. Barnum.

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