The 21 Elephants And The Brooklyn Bridge 

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous tourist attraction places in the world. It connects Manhattan and Brooklyn in New York City and this is perhaps the most interesting thing you will ever read about The Brooklyn Bridge and elephants.

The story of the 21 elephants is an intriguing one that highlights the marvelous architecture of one of New York’s iconic landmarks. So, why and how did they test the Brooklyn Bridge? Stay with us till the end and learn why New Yorkers back in the day questioned the strength of the bridge and how they were proven wrong. 

The Story Of Elephants Bridge Test 

On 24th May 1883, New York saw a feat of marvelous engineering, The Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was monumental at that time as it was the world’s longest suspension bridge. Back in the day, it was truly one of a kind which is why it is still relevant.

When the Brooklyn Bridge was first inaugurated, people had their doubts about its stability, strength, and sturdiness. Six days later, when some people were exploring the bridge, a rumor flew that the bridge was unsafe and that it would collapse any time.

This resulted in a stampede that is known today as, “The Brooklyn Bridge stampede”. It caused massive havoc back in the day and resulted in 12 deaths and 36 people were seriously injured. This is one of the major reasons why people stopped using the bridge and had massive trust issues.

Despite being made of steel and brilliant architecture, the public wasn’t immediately convinced of its durability. That’s when P.T. Barnum entered the scene and won people’s hearts. P.T. Barnum was an American showman. He was a circus founder and is famous for his sensational stunts that mesmerized the audiences.

His idea was previously rejected when Barnum had offered them $5,000 to let him parade his circus on the bridge. But when this stampede occurred, the owners of the bridge asked him to do it as a publicity stunt for free. 

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Barnum liked to be the center of attention and wanted to grab the headlines often. He saw this as an opportunity to promote his circus while clearing the doubts about the bridge’s strength. 

So, in 1884, just a year after the bridge opened, he orchestrated a grand demonstration that would go down in history: a parade of 21 elephants marching across the Brooklyn Bridge. The first one to step on the Brooklyn Bridge was Jumbo, Barnum’s most famous elephant. Jumbo was already a celebrity elephant by this time. His popularity peaked when Barnum purchased him from the UK and brought him to New York. People loved seeing Jumbo and often bought postcards and other souvenirs featuring him.

The fact that the same Jumbo would be leading this procession made the entire show all the more special.

The idea of elephants crossing the Brooklyn Bridge was both risky yet brilliantly simple. What better way to showcase the bridge’s strength than by putting 21 elephants on it? What better way to promote his circus than a whole live audience? He was truly a genius. 

He knew such things would draw the crowd and he took the opportunity to promote his circus. A huge crowd gathered on the day of the parade waiting to see the elephants and the Brooklyn Bridge. Now, the important questions: Did elephants cross the Brooklyn Bridge? Yes.

The circus elephants with their massive bulk and gentle demeanor did end up crossing the bridge along with their trainers. There was a belief that elephants are the heaviest animals and if the bridge could withstand their weight, then it could easily withstand the weight of the humans.   

The most giant creatures ended up winning the trust of the people. Along with the elephants, 17 camels also were made to cross the bridge. As always, it garnered significant media attention and people started trusting the strength of the bridge and they knew it was safe.

To honor the people who lost their lives in the stampede, an urban sculptor named Joe Reginella made bronze statues of three elephants. It is on display for everyone to see in Battery Park in New York.

If a passerby encountered this statue, it would remind them of the lives that were lost that day. It shows that art, history, and emotions can intersect and create a beautiful memory of the elephants that helped earn the people’s trust. 

Conclusion: The Elephant Bridge Test 

To this day, the story of the 21 elephants remains a clear example of how animals were used to gain the public’s trust. Just like the story of the Eads Bridge where Andrew Carnegie accompanied an elephant to cross the bridge, even this story of the Brooklyn Bridge is a reminder that behind every great achievement lies a story of creativity, spectacle, and, occasionally, a parade of elephants and camels.