Brooklyn’s Genesis

From the moment I entered the Brooklyn Historical Society, I noticed it resembles more a museum than a library. The columns were so well structured in wood such as a sculpture. It has a kind of environment that takes you back to the 60’s and make you feel as if you were in a movie.

The BHS is more than just a library or a museum. It has primary and secondary resources of information in their archives, which illustrates and explains how Brooklyn has been shaped from in the last centuries. They have letters, pictures, plans, journals and even music and recordings in their collection of documents. In my group, we looked at the manuscript written by

Lucille Kolhin. The letter goes to her husband who is in war in California. She lives in Brooklyn and to move to California to be closer to him. Lucy is a very independent young woman. By the way she writes we noticed that she wants to be with her husband, yet, she’s very cautious about having her own space because she’s a prepared, well educated woman.

While reading Lucy’s letters it inspired me and I felt the same way Jennifer Egan felt about Lucy because of her high spirit. In my group we read one of the actual letters that Lucille sent to her husband and I personally felt like entering into a movie but it was even better because I knew these two people were in-loved for real and were a happy couple. It made me feel as though I was disturbing their privacy a little and made me wonder about the future, since I always save letters from many years ago, I started to analyze, and wonder, what if I make history and someone finds my letters and write about them as Egan did; and I felt proud of living in this age and time. I can picture a few generations ahead of ours trying to investigate about life in NY during the ‘Technological Era’ and how people’s life is.

Something really captivating when it comes to BHS library is that it feels, smells and even sounds old. The stairs are woodened so you can hear it crack and bend as you walk. I was fascinated by the design of the woodened columns and the book shelves seem as though they are the walls supporting the load of the upper level of the library. It’s almost like being inside the ‘Harry Potter’s library.

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8 Responses to Brooklyn’s Genesis

  1. ftejeda says:

    I happen to sympathize with these idea of feeling proud of the era we are currently living , you quoted “I felt proud of living in this age and time. I can picture a few generations ahead of ours trying to investigate about life in NY during the ‘Technological Era’ and how people’s life is.”Perhaps because every time I learn about the life of other people in other times , I realized how much the world has change and in a way appreciate how the technology advances has change the way we live.

  2. Eliza B. says:

    I agree with the previous comment. In the era that we current living in, many things change everyday and we are witness to that. And if someone in the future does find your letters, then that make you a primary source of our time, like Lucy was during W.W.II. And they’ll know what it might have been like to live during “Technological Era.”
    In addition, I like how you compared the feeling you got from reading the letter to the feelings Jennifer Egan got from reading the same letters. I believe most of us felt somewhat of a connect with Lucy.

  3. ervinhot says:

    I noticed you wrote that “The letter goes to her husband who is in war in California.” well I was just wondering isnt he at the army base in California perparing for war? and not in war in California?

  4. Miguel says:

    I agree on the part where you said “…..about Lucy because of her high spirit.” Back when we read “Reading Lucy” throughout the entire essay I sensed this high spirit and I think you, Jennifer Egan, and the rest of my peers would agree when I say Lucy was a strong-will women.

  5. torresj12 says:

    The way you describe the building is brilliant. Your use of sensory details is pretty good. Just reading this post I feel like I’m walking through the halls of BHS. Its interesting the fact that you compared the library to a “Harry Potter” library. I agree with that because when you look up the stairs look like they were built in such a way to give you a feeling like their moving. Interesting post.

  6. ronnyandread says:

    Of course you mean 1860’s right? Because saying 60’s would refer to the 1960’s.
    Nonetheless, I think your post was the most interesting. To add to your Harry Potter reference, the building even had faces on the outside! While I would generally agree when you say you felt like you were “…disturbing their privacy…”, which relates to when you also said you can “picture a few generations ahead of ours trying to investigate about [our] life”, I am convinced that by the time were long gone it will do us no harm. Although it would be kind of embarrassing, I think it might show how open our society is with our thoughts and ideas compared to how it use to be even further into the past.

  7. joshua90 says:

    I think i can relate to what you said about the building being more of a museum than a library because of all of the pricless objects it contains. The minute I stepped inside I also felt as if I were in some “harry potter” library as you quoted. The stairs as you mentioned were squeaky and old but I believe thats one of the things that gives the Brooklyn historical museum its lust and attractive apperance form within its walls.

  8. zhik says:

    On one hand i can see what you mean about it giving you a 60s vibe on the other hand i feel like its deeper into history.

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