WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE (NYC)

Completed in 1903 and designed by Leffert L. Buck with towers by architect Henry Hornbostel, the Williamsburg Bridge spans 7,308 feet across the East River, linking Manhattan’s Lower East Side with Brooklyn’s Williamsburg. At its debut, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, a modern steel marvel built to handle both horse-drawn traffic and the rising tide of electric streetcars and trains.

Fun facts: During a 1902 windstorm, before the bridge even opened, the unfinished cables began to sway violently—workers reportedly crawled on their hands and knees hundreds of feet above the river to secure them, preventing a catastrophic collapse just months before completion.

Sonny Rollins, the famed jazz man (saxophone) took a sabbatical from 1959 to 1961 when practiced on the Williamsburg Bridge for hours daily, leading to his acclaimed 1962 album “The Bridge” (LISTEN). Dissatisfied with his musical direction, he sought a private place to practice without disturbing neighbors, finding a secluded and inspiring spot on the bridge's pedestrian walkway. (Listen to him talk about it: VIDEO)