The Brooklyn Bridge had its opening on May 24, 1883; a connecting of Brooklyn and New York City. The bridge had the distinction of being the first and longest, fixed crossing of the East River. It is a hybrid meaning both a cable stayed bridge as well as a suspension bridge, when it opened.  Initially, it was called the New York and  Brooklyn Bridge, only to officially be renamed, in 1915, the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge boasted, at the time of its opening, to be the longest suspension bridge in the world with a span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m).