Breukelen celebrates connections with Brooklyn

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Mayor Mik visit the original “Brooklyn bridge.”

The Dutch historic town of Breukelen celebrates NY400 with as special theme, BrooklynBridgeBreukelen, including  many activities to commemorate the city’s four centuries  relationship with Brooklyn, New York. Part of the program was a special Brooklyn week with rodeos, old timers and a shop window competition.
  
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and his wife were welcomed by Mayor Mik and his wife. They visited the original “Brooklyn bridge.”

The regional Historic Center Vecht en Venen in Breukelen organized an exhibition on the 400 years relationship, with old maps, newspaper clippings, books and videos to tell the tale of the two cities.
After the British takeover of New Amsterdam in the 1660s, many Brooklyn streets and neighborhoods retained their Dutch names. Even the Brooklyn motto remains Dutch: “Een Draght Maakt Maght” (In Unity there is Strength). The exhibit also documents a post World War II relief effort, the “Brooklyn adopts Breukelen” project.