As a New Yorker, I sometimes tend to get a bit jaded about the incredible sights all around me. Times Square might be cool to visitors, but to me it’s nothing but gaudy neon and schlocky souvenirs. United Nations? Pretty neat, but quite a headache when you’re trying to get to work on the East Side and some diplomat’s motorcade makes you take the “long walk” to the office.
But then today, I noticed that it was the 125th anniversary of the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge and I had to take pause. The Brooklyn Bridge is probably my favorite New York landmark – not only for the breathtaking views you get when you walk across it, but also for its historic importance to the city and to American innovation in general. First opened on May 24th, 1883, the 6,000 foot long bridge was considered one of the greatest American engineering marvels of its time. It is perhaps a fitting tribute that the bridge is still fully operational today, transporting pedestrians and vehicles much as it did when it first opened 125 years ago.
If you happen to be in New York this evening, take a stroll down to the old bridge and check out the festivities, which include fireworks, a new lighting scheme and even a U.S. Navy flyover. And if you can’t make it, make sure to stroll across it the next time you’re in town. It’s definitely worth the trip.