Progressive Era (1890-1913) A scene from the "Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge" RealVideo (streaming) MPEG Format (8.3 MB) Help With Video Credits New Yorkers Celebrated the Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge December 19, 1903 Have you ever ridden in a horse-drawn carriage? Can you imagine what it would be like to cross a bridge during rush hour with everyone in a carriage instead of an automobile? The Williamsburg Bridge was one of the last major bridges built for the horse and carriage, as well as for pedestrians and bicyclists. On December 19, 1903, New Yorkers celebrated the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge, the second suspension bridge to span the East River. (The Brooklyn Bridge was the first.) How is the bridge used today? page 1 of 2 Library Of Congress | Legal Notices | Privacy | Site Map | Contact Us VIDEO CREDIT: Bitzer, G.W. "Billy," camera. "Opening the Williamsburg Bridge." American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1904. The Life of a City: Early Films of New York, 1897-1906, American Memory collections, Library of Congress.