On May 24, 1983, the 100-year anniversary of the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge was marked by parades, a flotilla of tall ships, and a massive Grucci fireworks show.
1974 Mario Manzini, dressed like Elvis Presley, tried to jump off the bridge in handcuffs to prove that he was the best escape artist since Houdini. Police thwarted this escape attempt.
1933 According to a letter published in the Brooklyn Eagle, a woman claimed that she climbed up the walkway to the Brooklyn tower, and jumped rope on top of the tower.
1895 Clara McArthur was the first woman to jump off the bridge, weighting her stockings with 20
pounds of sand so that she would fall feet first. She survived the fall.
In 1867, a group of prominent leaders formed the New York Bridge Company "for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a bridge across the East River." Under the enabling act, the city of Brooklyn (which stood to benefit the most from the bridge) subscribed for $3 million of the capital stock, while the city of New York only subscribed for $1.5 million.
Update Sources
