Golden Gate Bridge engulfed in fog. 1974. CCO Public Domain.
The Dream – Building the Golden Gate Bridge
Early into the 20th century, Americans were dreaming big. The industrial revolution and the modernization of our nation gave birth to automobiles, electric lights, steam-powered engines, telephones, elevators, steel ships, skyscrapers, and even expansion bridges.
One of the most ambitious projects envisioned during this time was building the Golden Gate Bridge.
Modernization
By early 1920, Americans wanted modern and particularly loved the automobile, and with its growth is where the problem started. Unfortunately, the whispered desires of connecting the shores of San Francisco with the beautiful region of Marin and Sonoma, California, were considered pure fantasy.
No legitimate engineer offered any assurance that a two-mile-long bridge could be built safely and withstand the test of time and elements. The depth of the water was a concern, as much as 350′ deep in places, that constructing the necessary concrete foundation piers seemed impossible.
Despite the challenges, the dream of building the Golden Gate Bridge continued to inspire engineers and visionaries alike.
So the iconic Golden Gate Bridge began like many other world-changing ideas. It was opposed, sometimes vehemently. This included as many as 2000 lawsuits to stop the construction. The idea of building the Golden Gate Bridge became a passionate pursuit that defined an era.
Ultimately, the vision of building the Golden Gate Bridge became a reality, symbolizing innovation and resilience.
Precarious
In the beginning, many California residents were certain that a bridge in that precarious location would not stand up to the extremes of weather. The tremendous winds off the Pacific Ocean, turbulent tides, dangerously thick fog, and the occasional hurricane were concerning. Of course, earthquakes; let’s not forget that in 1906 San Francisco itself had experienced one of the worst earthquakes on record nearly destroying the city. Experts pointed out that the proposed bridge site was between two hazardous fault lines, St. Andreas and Heywood.
Railroad Bosses
The loudest complaints came from the Southern Pacific Railroad. They opposed the bridge as competition to its ferry fleet Golden Gate Ferry Company. Before the bridge, hundreds of ferries operated daily and carried customers across the two-mile strait in twenty minutes or less. Disgusted by the greed of the railroad giant, the public hit back and boycotted the ferry system.
Even the military made a complaint, noting that a large bridge would become a target for enemy attack. The shipping channel would be tied up and create an absolute nuisance. Eventually, the military dropped their objections.
Builder
Joseph Strauss,an experienced bridge builder, was the dreamer and promoter who dared to risk his professional reputation. He began pushing his ideas in public meetings as early as 1921. Although Strauss was a bridge expert, having built over 500 bridges worldwide, his expertise was with cantilever-type bridges.
Original Design
From the start the design was an eye-sore, a plan that projected horizontally into space and needed to be anchored only on one end. Many citizens complained that Strauss’s “hideous” bridge was ugly and unsafe. Later, he listened to his advisors and revised the bridge plans, dismissing the cantilever style with a suspension bridge. No suspension bridge in the world had ever been built this large or faced the natural challenges of the Golden Gate.
Complainers
In time, many other complainers joined in the chorus of noise, including environmentalists, financial experts, geologists, preservationists, expert structural engineers, oceanography experts, meteorologists, and much more. Later, even one of Strauss’s own staff of engineers doubted the stability of the bridge.
Expert
In June 1931, Robert Kenzie, a mining engineer expert, advised the media that based on some borings into the ground, the foundation was not strong enough to hold the weight of the bridge. Nevertheless, by 1933 the Golden Gate Bridge committee and the public had decided to go forward with the project and placed Strauss in charge, prompting the head engineer to write in a poem, “Launched midst a thousand hopes and fears; Damned by a thousand hostile sneers.”
Great Depression
In the early 1930’s financing the mammoth project was another problem. The nation was struggling with the chokehold of the Great Depression. Facing skyrocketing unemployment, mortgage foreclosure, and thousands of Americans were evicted from their homes. Many families were suddenly homeless. Long soup and bread lines began forming in many cities, and thousands of banks closed. There was little help from the federal government, leaving local support as the only answer.
Public referendum
That answer came in the form of a public referendum to raise the funds necessary through municipal bonds. The public voted overwhelmingly to support its passage, but it remained an issue until a bank was willing to accept the bonds. Finally, Joseph Strauss found a lender, a dreamer and risk taker, much like himself, in A. O. Giannini, the founder of Bank of America.
Construction
Concerns were raised for the safety of the thousands of workers needed from the beginning. One worker killed per millions dollars spent was the general rule of thumb. The expectation from the start was a disturbing one. Considering a 35 million dollar price tag, it was expected that 35 workers would likely die building the Golden Gate.
Accident
Joseph Strauss, however, insisted on solid safety measures, including requiring all workers to wear hard hats and always use the safety net. The safety net was sometimes cumbersome and awkward to pull along, but Strauss did not tolerate noncompliance. His rules resulted in immediate termination for workers who violated them. Nevertheless, the strict measures saved lives.
Only one life had been lost by 1936. Sadly, just months before the completion of the bridge, the safety net failed when the scaffolding collapsed killing its crew of 10 workers. They fell 300′ into the bay.
Two decades
The long list of concerns and complaints took nearly two decades to address. During this time, little attention was given to the apparent benefits of building the bridge. There was so much discourse about why not to build a bridge that the public had forgotten why a bridge was needed. As the years went by, the public was reminded.The ferries could not keep up with the tremendous traffic growth. Moreover, a bridge was the most reliable and easiest method to travel north up the coast from San Francisco. Finally, the economic benefits were and have been enormous.
.
The Golden Gate Bridge stands as a symbol of American will and resolve. Despite the overwhelming voices against it and during one of the darkest periods of American history, the Great Depression, someone built it.
The dreamer, the relentless force who persevered when others would have fallen, Joseph Strauss passed away in 1938. It was just a year after the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Sources: Archives of the San Francisco Chronicle (1921-1938)
U.S. Park Service
About the Author
I was in SFO many times. There was a small park close to it. I saw a nuclear submarine sailing out probably for a long military cruise. It was impressive.
I love the view of the San Francisco bay! When you first come over the top of the hill!
I keep seeing such negative comments here…that makes me so sad. No appreciation for how beautiful our City truly is and what an incredible feat building this bridge was! My grandfather was one of the many who took risks to build this engineering feat! I have lived here all of my life, 65 years and yes, there have been changes, not all of them good, but go to the top of Coit Tower and tell me what a sh*thole this City is. Better yet, keep your negativity to yourself! There are plenty of us who still love our San Francisco
My Uncle John was on the painting crew for years. He and his wife also lead the band for the opening ceremony. In a box somewhere I have a photo of that and a small commemorative photo album for my baby pictures
In 1971 I was stationed @ Treasure Island & could see part of the Golden Gate Bridge. I was amazed watching the peaks above the fog in the morning & then just clear up.
I walked back and forth across this wonderful bridge in the 1960s. Will always remember it and be glad I had the experience!
I was on a trip on the west coast with friends and crossed that bridge. I have pictures but did it back in the early 90’s before cell phones and digital cameras. I remember it was amazing
I crossed this bridge so many times in the 70s.
I never tired looking at it…whatever the time of day or climate!!! Wish I could see it again today!!
I’ve walked both ways. Beautiful!
This bridge was amazing to see and drive on!
Took them 4 years to build. Takes 20 years to build now. What happened ?
Saw a presentation about the construction –it was amazing to watch!!
I have crossed it many times when I lived in Vallejo!
Thank you Pat for taking me over it
It certainly is a wonderful and beautiful bridge
Went on a passenger ship under this bridge in 1965.
I have always loved that bridge, and I was super happy to spend the night there on my road trip to California.
Thank you Bethlehem Steelworkers
My grandparents used to live in Daly City and could see the fog roll in every night.
A gorgeous structure!!
I have been across this many times.
I’ve been there 3 times and have never seen it because of foggy times to like this.🤨
I have crossed the Golden Gate about three times and one time over the Richmond bridge. One was more than enough on the Richmond. No wonder it wasn’t crowded
Beautiful Bridge in the world!
My Uncle worked on the Golden Gate Bridge.
I have sailed under it on the USS Carl Vinson, then 3 hours later was in a plane that flew over it between the towers.
Beautiful bridge!!
Got to see it close up on a trip to California.
I have been across the Golden Gate Bridge one time & from what I remember it was huge.
My dad was part of a crew that built the Eisenhower tunnel.
My great uncle was an engineer on the project
After leaving the San Francisco Airport we were on our way to Calistoga, California for our vacation in March 2022. It was breathtaking to see the bridge close up just beyond the neighborhood near the water. Suddenly there we were on The Golden Gate Bridge. Thrilling, Magical and Breathtaking!
What a great photo!
I watched a documentary about the bridge and they said that some of painters must have had too much time on their hands and captured some seagulls painted the top of their heads with the gold paint and then set them loose. A few days later some people were talking about the new species of seagulls that showed until recaptured a few and realized it was only paint
Keith Malley
Truly a work of art in addition to an engineering marvel.
Beautiful bridge. It’s a shame it’s in San Francisco.
My dad worked on it.
We need to dream big again and rebuild America!
We have been there and it looks like a rust color, not gold like I was expecting. We crossed over it too.
Just look at everything we built before we had computers!! What do we build now 🤔😭
My late wife’s father was a rivet setter on the golden gate bridge back in 1934-36. He had left his job in Portland Or ship yards. To work on it then the war was in the works and rejoined his family to help build ships he was a welder on that job from 1939 till 1945. Family name is in the life magazine forwarded by George h BRAUCKMILLER MY FATHER IN LAW WHOM I NEVER GOT TO MEET
It takes a year to paint the Golden Gate Bridge when they get done they start over WOW
Beautiful work of art!
Awesome
My uncle operated one of the cranes , wayyyto high for me to ever do something like that 🍀🍀
Loving this!
Amazing feat
Beautiful
Beautiful picture
My brother painted it for 15 years, ,thanks
Beautiful
Beautiful
Looks like it is wrap in a white fluffy blanket for it’s bed time.
Beautiful picture
Been on it but not when foggy
I’ve driven across it.
So amazing.
Foggy morning in San Francisco
The gift shop below the bridge sells the paint color ✨️ 😍
OMG. Scared me just looking at this.
I went under in Feb 1946, returning from Hawaii, WAR OVER….
Went over it several times in 80s on a trip with Edna in our motorhome.
Amazing 😉!
Wow How amazing the building of the bridge was 💖💖💖
Does it still get foggy like that?
I’ve crossed it both ways….had a cousin living in San Rafael.
The fog is so spooky there!
Best in the West and better than the Rest…..
I’m told they built the St John’s Bridge as a practice run, in Portland.
I had a neighbor who worked on that bridge. One day he was too hungover to ğo to work and al) the guys in the cassion he worked in drowned. The moral of the story is if you wish to live, get drunk.
…100% courage built that one- of-a-kind suspension bridge that is still a wonder of the world.
It’s not free.
Amazing
Been Above it , On it ,and Under it
I will never see the Golden Gate in person, but I’ve always like the looks of it & admire the labor it took to complete it.
I love the fog…it’s cool too.
Very Beautiful. I love it.
I wonder how many MILLIONS have crossed this amazing bridge? And maybe UNDER too????
Great bridge to fish off of.
It is amazing!
I read they paint it constantly all year around?
Great shot .
A beautiful bridge, yes, magical, romantic
Just be careful of the toll takers if you don’t have exact amount some will hand you a wad and short change you… Count it before you drive on..
How much you want to bet that that’s smog and not cloud cover…
Fogs in.
Interesting read.
Wow 🤩
I have a Token Coin from the day the bridge was opened. It was opened for people to walk across and those people all got this Golden Gate coin. My late wife’s family lived in San Francisco for generations. Her grandmother was the one that walked across the bridge to get the coin. That same grandmother was at the World’s Fair they built Treasure Island for. We used to have paperwork for it I don’t know where it’s at. She was also the first female Police Officer in San Francisco History. How’s your mom and sister were in 1989 with a big earthquake hit was partially destroyed with them in it. I lived at 14th Street by Gary on Treasure Island Alameda today I wouldn’t allow my worst enemy to go to that City. Governor Newsome, Pelosi the mayor & District Attorneys have destroyed San Francisco. It used to be a wonderful time now it’s a sewage pit of crime drugs Danger of human fetus is everywhere it’s a dump.
Lori Bennett I always have loved the pictures of the men building the New York City skyscrapers! … Just sitting on a girder having lunch HUNDREDS of feet up with absolutely NO safety equipment!
My grandfather, an Army Sergeant in WWII and pro football player, quit his first day of work when his boss told him to go to top of a tower.
I was in SFO many times. There was a small park close to it. I saw a nuclear submarine sailing out probably for a long military cruise. It was impressive.
I could not resist commenting. Exceptionally well written! http://Eleybrothers.com/__media__/js/netsoltrademark.php?d=xn--910b65k35c6th81c6xf12B0Ng64j.com%2Fbbs%2Fboard.php%3Fbo_table%3Dfree%26wr_id%3D166824
Admiring the persistence you put into your blog and detailed information you present.
It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while
that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Fantastic read!
I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.