What It Actually Took To Build Build America

A video from 1920 captures an awe-inspiring sight: fearless workers casually balancing on narrow steel beams high above the East River as they paint the Brooklyn Bridge. With no safety harnesses or modern equipment, these men—nicknamed "workers with balls of steel"—move with astonishing confidence and focus, hundreds of feet in the air. The grainy footage highlights the raw grit and daring that built New York's most iconic landmarks, reminding viewers of a time when danger was just part of the job.

WATCH:

Workers with balls of steel painting the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC in the year 1920. pic.twitter.com/IvDkCDlfVo

— Historic Vids (@historyinmemes) May 8, 2025