Top of page

Film, Video Opening the Williamsburg Bridge Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge / Opening of the New Williamsburg Bridge

digital viewing copy

About this Item

Title

  • Opening the Williamsburg Bridge

Other Title

  • Opening of the Williamsburg Bridge
  • Opening of the New Williamsburg Bridge

Summary

  • The film was shot on the roadway of the newly constructed Williamsburg Bridge. The first people to come into view are press photographers carrying large wooden "box" cameras [Frame: 0690]. Next, a parade of dignitaries and military representatives, accompanied by members of the press [1310], is photographed passing the camera position led by a standard bearer whose banner reads "MAYOR" [0902]. The mayor of New York was Seth Low (defeated in November, 1903 by George B. McClellan). The Williamsburg Bridge, a combined cantilever and suspension bridge, crosses the East River from Delancey and Clinton Streets, Manhattan, to Roebling and S. 5th Streets, Williamsburg. Built at a cost of twelve million dollars, it held two lanes of roadway, two "L" tracks, four trolley tracks, and two promenades. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world at the time.

Names

  • Bitzer, G. W., 1872-1944, camera.
  • American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
  • Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
  • Niver (Kemp) Collection (Library of Congress)

Created / Published

  • United States : American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1904.

Headings

  • -  Williamsburg Bridge (New York, N.Y.)
  • -  Suspension bridges--New York (State)--New York

Genre

  • Actualities (Motion pictures)
  • Filmed parades
  • Silent films
  • Short films
  • Nonfiction films

Notes

  • -  H42039 U.S. Copyright Office
  • -  Copyright: American Mutoscope & Biograph Co.; 11Feb1904; H42039.
  • -  Camera, G.W. "Billy" Bitzer.
  • -  Duration: 0:55 at 15 fps.
  • -  Photographed December 19, 1903. Location: East River, New York, N.Y.
  • -  Biograph production no. 2748.
  • -  Paper print shelf number (LC 0346) was changed when the paper prints were re-housed.
  • -  Additional holdings for this title may be available. Contact reference librarian.
  • -  Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
  • -  Sources used: Niver, K. Early motion pictures, p. 232; American Film Institute catalog, film beginnings, 1893-1910, p. 763; Biograph production logs; Biograph photo catalog, vol. 6 (no. 2748)
  • -  Early motion pictures : the Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress / by Kemp R. Niver. Library of Congress. 1985.
  • -  35 mm dupe neg pic renumbered: FPE 5539 to FZA 2343.

Medium

  • viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (38 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • viewing print 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
  • dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (38 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • dupe neg pic 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
  • master pos pic 1 film reel of 1 (ca. 40 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
  • paper pos 1 roll of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.
  • paper pos (copy 2) 1 roll of 1 (ca. 50 ft.) : b&w ; 35 mm.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • FLA 3360 (viewing print)
  • FEB 9841 (viewing print)
  • FRA 0663 (dupe neg pic)
  • FZA 2343 (dupe neg pic)
  • FRB 0550 (master pos pic)
  • Box 0839C (paper pos)
  • Box 5220E (paper pos, copy 2)

Repository

  • Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA dcu

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 00694395

Online Format

  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is not aware of any U.S. copyright or other restrictions in the vast majority of motion pictures in these collections. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse.

In rare cases, copyrighted motion pictures are made available by special permission to the Library and may be used only for educational purposes. For example, the Gershwin home movies fall within this category. Rights assessment is your responsibility. No registration information exists for some titles, and reproduction of some titles may be restricted by privacy rights, publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Additionally, some works may still be protected by copyright in the United States or some foreign countries. The written permission of the copyright owners in materials not in the public domain is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use of protected items beyond that allowed by fair use or other statutory exemptions.

Whenever possible, we provide information that we have about copyright owners and related matters in the catalog records, finding aids and other texts that accompany collections. You should consult the catalog information that accompanies each item for specific information. This catalog data provides the details known to the Library of Congress regarding the corresponding item and may assist you in making independent assessments of the legal status of these items for their desired uses. You should also consult restrictions associated with donations to the Library.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division.

More about Copyright and other Restrictions.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, Paper Print Collection, and Niver. Opening the Williamsburg Bridge. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1904. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/00694395/.

APA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., American Mutoscope And Biograph Company, Paper Print Collection & Niver. (1904) Opening the Williamsburg Bridge. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/00694395/.

MLA citation style:

Bitzer, G. W., Camera, et al. Opening the Williamsburg Bridge. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1904. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/00694395/>.