Corbis.com
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Corbis.com |
"Hailed as the Eighth Wonder of the world, the Great East River Bridge was tangible proof of America's achievement."(2) The Brooklyn Bridge is more than a suspension bridge, connecting the two shores of Brooklyn and Manhattan; it is a preeminent symbol of New York. It represents magnificence, change, unity, improvement, and influence. By producing a phenomenon of sheer beauty and technological breakthroughs, the bridge demonstrates the power of New York City. When it was completed in 1883, the bridge joined the separate cities of Brooklyn and Manhattan, merging the cultures of two of the largest cities in America. This accomplishment paved the way for the consolidation of the five Boroughs of New York, and brought the city into international limelight. The Brooklyn Bridge is a cultural symbol for New York City, and a national symbol for the American Dream. |
| During the summer after I finished kindergarten, my family and I spent the evening of the 4th of July watching the fireworks on a boat about 100 yards from the Brooklyn Bridge. "You see that? That's the Brooklyn Bridge, the most beautiful bridge in New York," my mother exclaimed as we watched the green and red explosions of light. Ever since then, the "Great Bridge" has been part of the New York character for me, standing in a league of her own. |
-Gabby Lubart
1. S.W. Green, The Complete History of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge (New York, 1883); page 67
2. Alan Trachtenberg, Brooklyn Bridge: Fact and Symbol. (Chicago, 1965) page 8