"Strolling across the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the Big Apple’s most popular attractions — but how much cooler would it be if you could visit a wine cellar at either end? Well, the hidden chambers beneath the famous bridge once served that very purpose, as chilled storage units for liquor vendors starting in 1876, several years before the bridge was even road-ready. Their existence was born out of compromise: The Brooklyn Bridge’s construction path crossed over two local businesses on either end, Luyties & Co. and Rackey’s Wine Company. The bridge’s chief engineer, Washington Roebling, came up with the idea to help keep these businesses afloat by renting out the cellars for storage, which also helped offset construction costs for the bridge. During the Prohibition Era, the cellars were used for newspaper storage until 1934, when the “dry era” ended. Today, the cellars are no longer used for their original purpose but are opened for rare historical tours."
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"Strolling across the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the Big Apple’s most popular attractions — but how much cooler would it be if you could visit a wine cellar at either end? Well, the hidden chambers beneath the famous bridge once served that very purpose, as chilled storage units for liquor vendors starting in 1876, several years before the bridge was even road-ready. Their existence was born out of compromise: The Brooklyn Bridge’s construction path crossed over two local businesses on either end, Luyties & Co. and Rackey’s Wine Company. The bridge’s chief engineer, Washington Roebling, came up with the idea to help keep these businesses afloat by renting out the cellars for storage, which also helped offset construction costs for the bridge. During the Prohibition Era, the cellars were used for newspaper storage until 1934, when the “dry era” ended. Today, the cellars are no longer used for their original purpose but are opened for rare historical tours."
- dave 6-27-2020 5:50 pm
- Skinny 6-27-2020 8:05 pm [add a comment]