Imagining the

Brooklyn Bridge

Across the world, the Brooklyn Bridge has been a symbol of New York City for 135 years. It has been crossed, painted and photographed by countless people, but they have often experienced and seen it differently.

Activity 1: Imagine the sounds of building the Brooklyn Bridge

View this silent film from 1920 about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge. As the film progresses, create the sounds that you think should be heard.

Activity 2: Imagine how others have seen the Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge - a symbol of New York City - has often been painted, but artists have seen it very differently. Have a look at the four paintings below. For each one, ask yourself "What does the artist want me to notice about the Brooklyn Bridge?", and "What does the artist want me to feel about it?

Frederick Child Hassam. "Winter Day on Brooklyn Bridge." @1904

"Morning on the River" by Jonas Lie, 1911

Leroy Neiman. "Brooklyn Bridge" 1995

Tom Shropshire. "Brooklyn Bridge Cruciform" 2013

Activity 3: Imagine the Brooklyn Bridge yourself

Do a quick search of the web for "images of the Brooklyn Bridge" to have pictures to work from if you have not crossed or seen the bridge yourself.
Create your own image of the Brooklyn Bridge. Use any medium you want to - crayons, paint, markers, paper collage, or other materials. As you create, think about

What do you want people who see your work to notice about the Bridge?
How do you want people to feel about the Bridge?

Activity 4: What caused elephants to cross the Brooklyn Bridge?

Have a look at the events and images below that led up to P.T Barnum leading his circus elephants across the bridge in May 1884. Imagine that you are P.T. Barnum and you are giving a speech to a crowd in Brooklyn BEFORE you and your elephants cross the bridge. What would you say to the people? Create a 1-minute speech. Deliver the speech to a family member or use a phone or digital device to share your speech with friends or classmates.

What would you say to the crowed AFTER you and your elephants crossed the Bridge?

1850 - Angers, France. A bridge across the river Maine collapsed when a large group of soldiers marched over it during a storm. The resonance (rhythmic shaking) of the soldiers' steps as they marched, together with the power of the wind, caused the bridge to collapse. 226 people were killed and many more injured.

1876 - Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster (the "Ashtabula Horror") killed 90 people and injured 64 in the middle of winter. The bridge collapsed because it was badly built - some of the cast iron materials fell apart. The train derailed and 159 passengers fell into the ice-filled river beneath the bridge.

May 30, 1883 - New York City. One week after the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, people crossing it stampeded because they thought it might fall. Twelve people were killed and 35 badly injured.

May 17, 1884 - New York City. Circus promoter P.T. Barnum leads 21 elephants and other circus animals in a parade across the Brooklyn Bridge to show people that the bridge is safe.

For more information on the construction and history of the Brooklyn Bridge, go to PBS Channel Thirteen and have a look around their resources.

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