Chinatown in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Man Survives Leap From Brooklyn Bridge!
Steve Brodie’s Saloon
— 114 Bowery —
You are standing in front of the former site of bridge jumper Steve Brodie’s Saloon. A fast-talking former Five Points street tough turned con man and gambler who had fallen into debt, Brodie took a dare to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge just months after another daredevil perished performing the same stunt.
Whether or not he actually made the July 23, 1886 jump (accounts vary), he became an overnight celebrity, opened up the sensationally popular bar, and recreated his bridge jumping feat at the people’s Theatre (199 Bowery) and in theaters across the country. Referenced in novels and depicted in the George Raft film The Bowery and the Bugs Bunny cartoon, Bowery Bugs. Brodie also inspired a long-time saying “Pulling a Brodie,” which meant doing a death-defying stunt.
In addition to being a museum of the famous stunt, the saloon’s back room was a hangout for sporting men and boxing champs like Tom Sharkey, Terry McGovern and “Gentleman Jim” Corbett.
Asked by legions of sightseers why he had not attempted the jump again, he always answered, “I done it oncet.” Brodie died at around age 36 in 1901.
- Eric Ferrera, author of The Bowery and founder of the L.E.S. History Project (leshp.org)
Erected 2016 by Bowery Alliance of Neighbors.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is July 23, 1886.
Location. 40° 43.092′ N, 73° 59.707′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Chinatown. Marker is on Bowery near Grand Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 114 Bowery, New York NY 10013, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ghosts And Occasional Mayhem (within shouting distance of this marker); Bowery Savings Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); From Beaux Arts Bank To Bananas (within shouting distance of this marker); “A Carnival Of Debauchery!” (within shouting distance of this marker); "I'm Not A Nice Girl" (within shouting distance of this marker); Former Bowery Savings Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Freaks! Assassins! Giant Squids! (within shouting distance of this marker); NYC Landmark Of Cast Iron (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
More about this marker. One of more than sixty entries in the “Windows on the Bowery” series.
Also see . . . Steve Brodie (bridge jumper). Wikipedia biography. (Submitted on April 11, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 447 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 21, 2019, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.