On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened to traffic with a public celebration. The bridge, linking Brooklyn to Manhattan, was originally called the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, or the Great East River Bridge. It took over 14 years to plan and build the first bridge that would connect the cities of New York and Brooklyn. Thousands of people attended the dedication ceremony, including President Chester A. Arthur and the New York Governor Grover Cleveland. The Brooklyn Bridge was the largest suspension bridge to be built at that time. How does the narrator’s description of the day compare to this description? What similarities or differences do you notice?