Today in History: Williamsburg Bridge

Opening of Williamsburg Bridge, New York City
Today in History–December 19–the Library of Congress features New York City’s Williamsburg Bridge, opened on this day in 1903. Built to alleviate traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Williamsburg Bridge was the largest of three steel-frame suspension bridges to eventually span the city’s East River.  Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources related to the Williamsburg Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge, suspension bridges, and other types of bridges.

New Yorkers Celebrated the Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge from America’s Library

Williamsburg Bridge image set

Opening the Williamsburg Bridge (film)

Williamsburg Bridge historical newspaper articles 1902-04

Williamsburg Bridge Illuminated by Burning Waste Material New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]), 04 Feb. 1906

Opening of new East River bridge, New York (film)

George Washington Bridge (New York) image set

Today in History: Brooklyn Bridge

Suspension bridges primary source set

Suspension bridges image set

Bridges primary source set

Bridges image set

City Spotlight: New York City primary source collections

State Spotlight: New York primary source collections