Workers Investigating Beneath The Brooklyn Bridge Stumbled Upon A Sinister Cold War Secret
The Brooklyn Bridge is unquestionably one of the most iconic structures in New York City. From the groundbreaking techniques used to build it to the impressive sight of it proudly sitting over the East River, the structure makes quite a statement. But it turns out that there’s even more to this bridge than you might have realized: it contains secret, forgotten chambers that haven’t been seen in decades.
A simple thing
You may think a bridge is an inherently simple thing. After all, it’s just a platform covering the gap between two places, right? It allows you to cross a river or road without getting your feet wet. And in the case of the Brooklyn Bridge, it means the New York boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn can stay connected, despite the water between them.
A little more complicated
The thing is, though, any bridge can get complicated when you consider the level of engineering involved — and the Brooklyn Bridge is a particularly pertinent example. It’s a suspension bridge, which means it can span a wider space than other types. When the Brooklyn Bridge was built in the 19th century, the techniques and materials it used were new and exciting.
Original plans
If you visit the Brooklyn Bridge today, you have the choice of whether you travel on foot across the elevated walkway or cycle or drive along the road. What you can’t do, though, is visit the space inside, where its architect designed a series of vaults in the so-called “anchorages” where the cables are attached to stone supports. The anchorages on the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides were originally meant to be shopping arcades.
Party’s over
This space has mostly been used for storage, but the vaults used to host exciting parties and creative exhibitions. That can’t happen anymore, sadly, because of how security concerns have increased. There was also another hidden area found in 2006, but that one is even more secret. It’s shocking that we rediscovered it at all.
