On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was officially opened, setting the record for the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, with a span of 1,595 feet 6 inches (approximately 486.3 meters). The bridge’s construction took 14 years and cost 15 million dollars. At least 20 people died during the bridge’s construction, including its original designer. Why it was so difficult to build this bridge? Let's look back at this period of history.