9. The Manhattan Bridge was Supposed to be a hybrid of the Brooklyn Bridge and Williamsburg Bridge
View of Brooklyn Bridge from the top of Manhattan Bridge. Photo by Dave Frieder.
The second design for the Manhattan Bridge by Gustav Lindenthal borrowed from both the Brooklyn Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge. Drawing from the Brooklyn Bridge, it was proposed to have both vertical and suspender ropes and diagonal cable stays. And drawing from the Williamsburg bridge, it was supposed to have massive steel towers and deep stiffening trusses (in fact, the trusses were supposed to be 15 feet deeper than the Williamsburg Bridge). It was also going to have towers that were crowned with ornaments, similar to those on the Williamsburg Bridge. Unfortunately, this interesting concept was rejected by the New York City Art Commission, which was very influential at the time.