One of the most well-known bridges in the world is the Brooklyn Bridge. Connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn, it spans the East River. The bridge, which was the first steel-wire suspension bridge ever constructed when it was finished in 1883, once held the record for the world’s longest suspension bridge. It was referred to as one of the seven wonders of the industrial world and measured 5,899 feet in length and up to 276.5 feet above the water.
During the bridge’s construction, more than 20 men lost their lives. John Roebling, the bridge’s principal architect, was the first casualty, then more workers. Over 20,000 people were on the bridge a week after the opening ceremony when there was a rumor going around that it might collapse. Twelve people died as the panic spread; they were trampled underfoot by the enormous crowd.
None of this, however, comes close to the number of people who have killed themselves by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. Unofficially, there had been more than 1,300 suicides by 2003. There are rumors that someone perishes in the East River every fifteen days. Engineering challenges prevented the idea of building a suicide barrier from being implemented.
Robert Emmet Odlum was the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge. Robert simply wanted to demonstrate that one does not perish by falling through the air. He had no intention of killing himself.
He did this to exhort others to run for safety if they were trapped inside a burning structure. In addition to this, he also wanted fame and money, which added to his motivation for doing the deed. He unfortunately did not make it through the jump.
Instructor of swimming Robert Odlum. He was born in Ogdensburg, New York, on August 31, 1851, and excelled at swimming from a young age. The Odlum family made extensive travels in search of David, Robert’s older brother who perished in the American Civil War. Robert transitioned through numerous residences and occupations. He relocated to Washington in 1878 and started the Natatorium, a swimming school. The school was a huge success, and soon the kids of many well-known Washingtonians enrolled there.
The sons of US President James A. Garfield, the daughter of General William Sherman, and the children of President Rutherford Birchard Hayes were among the students of Odlum, who earned the title of Professor. Thanks to his numerous exploits, including swimming and diving into the Potomac River, jumping off the Occoquan Falls, and swimming from Washington to Marshall Hall, Maryland with his friend Paul Boyton, another water showman and daredevil known as the Fearless Frogman, Robert had become a local celebrity in Washington.
Robert made the decision to shut down the school when the Natatorium started to lose money in 1881. He was able to secure employment at Fort Monroe’s Hygeia Hotel in Hampton, Virginia, as a swimming instructor, but his desire for fame and wealth persisted.
In 1882, Robert sneaked to an incomplete section of the Brooklyn Bridge in order to perform a jump from it. The police stopped him before he could pull off the stunt and returned him to Washington. After three years, he finally accomplished his goal.
Robert returned to New York on May 19, 1885, well-prepared. The NYPD was well aware of his plans because, in the weeks before the incident, word of Robert’s intentions had spread throughout the city. The security on the bridge was tightened, but Odlum was able to divert attention. While he was concealing himself in another vehicle, he sent James Haggart, a friend, to the bridge in a taxi. James pretended to be the jumper while acting as a ruse for the police. Robert exited the car he was hiding in while the police officers were occupied with the fake jumper. He jumped off the bridge at 5:35 p.m. in his swimsuit in front of a crowd of onlookers who were watching from a boat.
Robert dropped into the icy water at a speed of about 60 mph. He slammed his feet and hip into the river’s surface at an angle. The strong wind that was blowing at the time contributed to the jump’s disastrous outcome. When the lifeguard, who Odlum himself had working, was doing nothing at all, Paul Boyton jumped into the water and removed Robert’s body. Robert briefly regained consciousness after being brought to the boat, inquired as to whether the jump was successful, and then fell back to unconsciousness. His mouth began to bleed, and at 6:18 pm he passed away from internal bleeding. His friend called an ambulance, but it did not arrive in time to save his life.
Robert had three broken ribs in addition to a ruptured liver, kidneys, and spleen, according to the coroner. Concussion was determined to be the death’s official cause. In Washington, D.C.’s Mount Olivet Cemetery, Robert was laid to rest.
Robert’s mother charged Paul Boyton with murder after his fatal leap, saying that he convinced Robert to take the risk. The Fearless Frogman wrote an open letter to Mrs. Catherine Odlum that was also printed in The New York Times and denied all responsibility.
“The Life and Adventures of Prof. Robert Emmet Odlum, Containing an Account of his Splendid Natatorium at the National Capital” is a biography of her son that Catherine Odlum published in 1885.
Steve Brodie claimed to be the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and survive the fall one year after Robert’s passing. Since there were no witnesses, it was claimed that Brodie staged the jump by hurling a dummy from the bridge.
The alleged jump took place on July 23, 1886. The first confirmed survivor of the Brooklyn Bridge leap was Larry Donovan, who made the leap into the East River one month later.
Before Radar: How Giant Acoustic Mirrors Detected Enemy Aircraft in WWI and WWII
Long before radar revolutionized air defense, enormous acoustic mirrors and specialized sound locators stood as the first line of defense against enemy aircraft. Designed as giant “ears,” these structures amplified distant engine noises, allowing operators to detect incoming planes by sound alone. Dive into the intriguing world of these pioneering listening devices, their operation, limitations, and enduring legacy in military history.
Medals of Friendship: The Enduring Olympic Story of 1936
At the 1936 Summer Olympics, two Japanese pole vaulters named Sueo Oe and Shuhei Nishida tied for second, but they declined to compete against each other. As a result, Nishida was awarded the silver medal and Oe won a bronze medal. Upon returning to Japan, the athletes had their medals cut in half and spliced together to create new "friendship medals," which were half silver and half bronze.
Juliane Koepcke: The Teenager Who Fell 10,000 Feet And Trekked The Jungle to survive
In 1971, a high school student was sucked out of an airplane after it was struck by lightning. She fell 10,000 feet to the ground while still strapped to her chair and survived. Only to endure a 9-day trek to the nearest civilization.
Ancient Jericho: The First Walled City In History
The ancient city of Jericho is the world's oldest walled city, with evidence of stone fortifications dating back nearly 9000 years.
Man's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.
1972 Andes Plane Crash Survivor recall the terrifying Struggles to Stay Alive
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying a rugby team from Uruguay crashed in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. The survivors were in brutal conditions - high altitude, bitter cold, and the lack of food—and faced the most terrible choice—eating the frozen flesh of their dead friends or starving to death themselves.
Keith Sapsford: The Story of 14-Year-Old Stowaway
The final image of 14-year-old Australian Keith Sapsford, who aspired to travel the world. In February 1970, he sneaked into the wheel-well of a plane flying from Sydney to Tokyo. It opened mid-air & fell out. When a photographer was testing a new lens, he captured this moment on film and was surprised when it developed.
Nordlingen, The Town Inside A Meteorite Crater With Millions Of Meteorite Diamonds
The German town of Nördlingen is embedded with 72,000 tons of microscopic diamonds. About 15 million years ago, a meteorite hit this region, and the impact created a massive depression and formed rocks containing diamonds, glass, and crystals. The town was built in the impact crater sometime around 898 CE.
Remembering the 1945 Empire State Building Disaster: When a Plane Met Skyscraper
An airplane crashed into the Empire State Building in 1945. Among other damage, plane parts severed the cables of an elevator and the woman inside fell over 70 stories. She lived and holds the world record for the longest survived elevator fall.
10 world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history
Volcanic eruptions can devastate cities, change the world's atmosphere, and devastate economic systems. They can create molten lava rivers, mudslides, suffocating ash, and poisonous gases that cause chaos around the world for years. A volcanic explosion's effects can be massive, from its size to its death toll to its economic cost. Here is ten world’s most destructive and dangerous volcanic eruptions in history.
George Dantzig solved two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics mistakenly as assignment
In 1939, George Dantzig arrived late to his statistics class. On the board were two famous “unsolved” problems in statistics written as an example by his professor. Dantzig mistook the examples for homework assignments. He solved the “unsolved” problems and submitted the homework to his professor a few days later. His solutions earned him a doctorate.
The Amazing Truth About The German U-Boat That Was Sunk By A Toilet
During WWII, a German captain and an engineer flushed the submarine's high-tech toilet incorrectly, causing the vessel to rapidly fill with water. British planes patrolling the sea attacked them as the submarine was brought to the surface. While many members of the crew were killed in the attack, the captain escaped!
Top 10 Greatest and shocking Archaeological Discoveries of All Time
While we're all locked at home, there's no better way to escape to another time and place than to learn about amazing archeological sites and discoveries from around the world. Here are the 10 greatest and shocking archaeological discoveries —and don't be shocked if they inspire future trip plans whenever it's safe to do so again.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Amazonian Cities Using Lidar Technology
Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, archaeologists have uncovered an ancient network of urban settlements once inhabited by the Upano people about 2,000 years ago. Using cutting-edge lidar technology, these discoveries reveal a highly organized society featuring sophisticated agricultural systems, drainage canals, and extensive road networks. This transformative find challenges long-held assumptions about ancient Amazonian societies and sheds light on a complex civilization thriving in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
The Tragic Story Of Mary Ann Bevan, The ‘Ugliest Woman In The World’
After the death of her husband, Mary Ann Bevan had no income to support herself and her children. She then decided to enter a contest where she won the title of “ugliest woman” and was later hired by a circus. She endured this ridicule from the world to provide for her family.
How Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece
A Greek prime minister in 1830’s tried to spread the potato in Greece but people weren’t interested so he put armed guards in front of shipments of potatoes so people would think they were important. People later started stealing these potatoes a lot which spread the crop to all of Greece.
Tunnels Dug by ancient giant sloths, A South American Megafauna
For years, scientists didn’t know what caused mysterious cave networks in South America. In 2010, they learned that the caves were actually tunnels dug by ancient giant sloths
Inside The Mysterious Death Of The Famed Gothic Writer Edgar Allan Poe
Hours before his death Edgar Allen Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore. He was incoherent, wearing another man’s clothes, and unable to explain how he got there. The cause of his death is an unsolved mystery.
New London School Explosion, Deadliest school disaster which killed almost 300 children and teachers
In 1937, a gas leak in the basement at the local school in New London, Texas caused a massive explosion which killed almost 300 children and teachers, the deadliest school disaster in US history. Adolf Hitler even sent his condolences by telegram.
Underground Railroad to Mexico freed thousands of slaves in 1829
Slavery was abolished in Mexico in 1829. Slaves were escaping to Mexico, and slaveholders in the US were aware of this. The US attempted to get Mexico to sign a fugitive slave treaty, which would have required Mexico to send back escaped slaves to the US. But, Mexico refused, arguing that slaves were free as soon as they set foot on Mexican soil.
The true story of Annie Oakley, legendary sharpshooter
Anne Oakley was such a good shooter that she could split a playing card help edge-on, hit dimes thrown into the air, shoot cigarette from her husband's lips, and pierce a playing card thrown into the air before it hit the ground.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
History of Treadmill, punishment for prisoners
Treadmills were originally a punishment used to harness human power on a giant wheel used to grind grains, hence the name "treadmill." The History of Treadmill
From Flapper to Fashion Week: How 1920s Style Still Shapes Modern Trends
The roaring 1920s revolutionized fashion, introducing bold styles, daring cuts, and a spirit of freedom that still inspires today’s wardrobes. From flapper dresses to statement accessories, here’s how the Jazz Age lives on in modern fashion.
