The history of Brooklyn is similar to the story of Manhattan. Farmers first moved to the Brooklyn area in 1636. Like Manhattan, Brooklyn grew and grew. By 1860, 266,000 people lived there. In the next 10 years, 130,000 more people arrived. At that time, the only way between the two cities of Brooklyn and Manhattan was by boat. But in 1866, the New York government decided to build a bridge over the East River. John A. Roebling's plan was the best. He wanted to build a bridge that was "a work of art."

But it was a long, hard job. Around 600 men worked on the bridge. It took 14 years to finish. John A. Roebling did not live to see the completed bridge. In 1869, at the beginning of the job, he hurt his foot badly and he died three weeks later. But Roebling's son Washington continued his father's work. Washington worked hard. He did not just give orders to the bridge workers—he often joined them with tools in his hand.

John Roebling's death was not the last. About 27 bridge workers died. Many of these men were working deep in the waters of the East River. They became sick when they came up too quickly. In 1872, Washington Roebling became sick with the same illness. He did not die, but he was in terrible pain and he could not walk. His wife Emily watched the work on the bridge and reported back to her husband.

At last, in 1883, Manhattan and Brooklyn became one city. The bridge was complete. At the time it was the largest bridge in the world, just over 1 mile (1.8 kilometers) long. It was held up by two big towers that stood in the river. The center part of the bridge was for walkers. The parts on the outside were for horses.

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Many companies helped to pay for the bridge. No one was sure who owned it. Some thieves tried to sell the bridge. A few people believed them and paid!

On May 24,1883, the bridge opened. Thousands of New Yorkers came to see it. On the first day 150,300 people walked across the bridge and 1,800 vehicles crossed it, too. It cost just 1 c to walk across that day. But the crowd was too big and some people were pushed off into the water.

The Brooklyn Bridge is still one of the city's greatest sights. New Yorkers love it. In 1984, the city added a bike path. About 150,000 cars and over 2,000 walkers cross the bridge every day. Tourists can walk across to the beautiful neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights. The walk back to Manhattan is even better, with wonderful views of the city.