(Update: RoadTraffic-Technology article)
The date of construction was 1933-1937. [HAER-data]
The design we see today seems so obvious. But this proposal by Strauss and O’Shaugnessy shows there were other thoughts as to how to bridge the strait. Please click the link in the caption because the page has lots of other images.
I'm still learning about the power of fake news. Fortunately, Beth provided the top photo before I used the following as my first photo.
According to the "bridgeStrauss" label in this blog, I'm up to 29 bridges that use a "teetor-totter" to hold the counterweight for a movable weight. Here are some examples of the Strauss trunnion bridge design in Chicago, IL.
The date of construction was 1933-1937. [HAER-data]
A marvel of modern engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide. Its 4,200-foot main span between the two towers was the longest for a suspension bridge until 1981, while its 746-foot towers made it the tallest bridge of any type until 1993.
The Golden Gate Bridge withstood the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, and was closed to traffic only three times in its first 75 years due to weather conditions.
[history.com]
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| Photo from HAER CAL,38-SANFRA,140--43 (CT) from ca1355 |
There is so much information on this bridge that I normally would not bother to add another page about it on the web. But this photo is worth saving. If you scroll through the photos in Bridge Hunter, you see that many times the bridge is in fog.
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| Steve Sierra posted James Torgeson posted Steel Plant Museum of Western New York: Some of the steel for the GGB was made here at the Bethlehem Steel Lackawanna Plant. It was shipped to Pottstown and Steelton for fabrication into the bridge's components. Daniel Bovino posted Golden Gate bridge under construction. Paul Jevert shared History In Pictures posted Building the Golden Gate, 1933. From the Dean W. Kinter collection at the California Academy of Sciences Research Library. Paul Jevert shared south tower |
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| Historical San Francisco USA posted Beginning of Construction on the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco (1933) [The rest of the description is just platitudes.] |
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| Dave Frieder commented on the above post Towers by McClintic-Marshall Steel. Main cables and original suspender ropes by John A. Roebling's Sons Inc. Engineers of design, Leon Moisseiff and Charles Ellis. Chief Engineer, Joseph B. Strauss. Also assisting in the Engineering of this bridge was Othmar Ammann. He was responsible for many NYC bridges. Here is a photo of many of them. |
Historic Bridges has put together a collection of construction photos. You will have to download that file and unzip it so that you can use your favorite photo viewer to browse the photos. Historic Bridges also offers a couple of "Public Photograph Compilations" as well as an extensive set of photos taken by the site's author, Nathan Holt.
The design we see today seems so obvious. But this proposal by Strauss and O’Shaugnessy shows there were other thoughts as to how to bridge the strait. Please click the link in the caption because the page has lots of other images.
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| Marcin Wichary |
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| This is another image from Marcin Wichary that I found particularly interesting. This slide with an update log is combined from many different sources, most notably The Golden Gate Bridge: Report of the Chief Engineer, Volume II from 2007: |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted "Workmen assist in joining the center of the Golden Gate Bridge on Nov. 18, 1936. While chief engineer Joseph Strauss is credited the construction of the bridge, Charles Ellis and Leon Moissieff are the ones who overcame the engineering challenges and are responsible for the design of the suspension cables going over two bridge towers." (NBC News) William Ater Jr.: There’s an article I read a few years back and it was mentioned how Charles Ellis got the position of one of the towers wrong, and that Strauss was not pleased with him. Whether or not this played a role in Ellis being removed from the project and uncredited in the bridge’s design I am uncertain, but it is an interesting behind the scene account that could have led up to him being removed. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Cable work on the Golden Gate Bridge, c. 1936. (Moulin Archives) James Torgeson shared Ironworkers from John A. Roebling's Sons fabricate the cables for the Golden Gate Bridge. George Sivak: Some of the cables for the bridge were produced at the Page Plant of American Chain and Cable Company in Monessen,PA. Worked at that plant in the '60's. Great production of products from that plant It closed in the late 1970's and early 1980's. |
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| Dave Frieder posted The Suspender ropes were made at the Roebling facility in Roebling NJ. My section of Genuine Roebling GGB suspender rope. |
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| Historic San Fancisco posted Golden Gate Bridge during Construction (1935) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Laying the footbridges on the Golden Gate Bridge, September 19, 1935. (Daily Mail) Dave Frieder: Main Cables and Original suspender ropes by John A. Roebling's Sons Inc. |
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| SFO Museum posted The Golden Gate Bridge is an internationally recognized symbol of San Francisco. The bridge spans almost two miles of water between Marin and San Francisco and held the title of the longest suspension bridge, main span, for almost 30 years. This gigantic undertaking started in 1933 and finished in 1937. Check out this amazing, black and white photograph of a ground-level view of construction of the Golden Gate Bridge taken on October 16, 1935, almost two years before construction is officially complete. Have you visited this popular tourist destination? Negative of Golden Gate Bridge construction 1935 SFO Museum Collection 2013.117.011 Paul Jevert shared |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Building the Golden Gate Bridge, c. 1936. (Bancroft Library) |
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| History Daily posted The two sections of the main span of the Golden Gate Bridge were joined in the middle back in 1936. Mike Breski shared |
A colorized version of the above.
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| Manga Store posted [The post has a long description that is mostly platitudes.] Amelia Earhart: I’m guessing this was originally a B&W photo that’s been colorized? Dennis DeBruler: Amelia Earhart Yes, it has been colorized. I've seen a B&W copy. |
Doug Floyd posted two photos with the comment:
Here is an interesting old photo of the G.G. Bridge being built.Note the causeway running from Fort Point to the South Tower.Many folks wondered how they built the tower footing.I'm adding another picture of the actual construction of the tower.
Paul Jevert shared
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| Sandy Stadtfeld commented on Doug's post They built a cofferdam to construct the south tower footing. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted On the Golden Gate Bridge, c. 1935. (Bettmann/Corbis) Dave Frieder: Installing footbridge ropes. |
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| Comments on the above post |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted he Roebling spinning wheel sits atop the San Francisco Tower during construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, c. late 1935. Steel cables manufactured in Trenton and Florence by Roebling and Sons were used to build the bridge. (The Times of Trenton) Dave Frieder: The Spinning of the Main Cables was VERY unique to the Golden Gate bridge. Roebling spun 3 bights of wire at a time and the Vertex of the hexagon of the Main Cables was at the top and bottom. Unlike most other bridges where the vertex was at the sides. Also Roebling varied the amount of wires at the top and bottom so the cables would compact to a more round configuration. James Torgeson shared Crews from John A. Roebling's Sons spin the cables for the Golden Gate Bridge. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted A look at construction on the Golden Gate Bridge, late 1936. (San Francisco Chronicle) |
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| Beth Brevik commented on the post below |
I'm still learning about the power of fake news. Fortunately, Beth provided the top photo before I used the following as my first photo.
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| Michael Matalis shared The cable guy. Thomas Bilheimer posted A fearless worker standing on the unfinished Golden Gate Bridge, 1935. Eric Hudson i highly doubt that this is a real photo. Bob Harbison Real, but colorized. They were fearless and no doubt this guy was the bravest of the brave. Repsher Mike Bob Harbison I have doubts there is more wind up there! [See Beth's photo at the top.] Eric Hudson now that’s believable since the bottom is there... but the other one wasn’t because of the photoshop. Chris Hearn It’s very likely real. Saw a documentary and safety nets were an afterthought. Eleven men died building the bridge. Lots of resources in Google. Diane Perlow Orner You it takes 5 years to paint the bridge, and then they start to paint it from the other side that's 5 years old again. Mike Case And theres a work trolley platform under the bridge for paint & service. I cruised under it many many times. Rick Lund Bethlehem Steel |
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| Mike Huber commented Reading flatcar 96611.. One of the flats rebuilt from gondolas to carry pieces of the bridge to the port of Philadelphia...Earning their nickname " Golden Gate Flatcars" |
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| Fabien Hector Benjamin Jr posted Marin side, Ft. Baker. Bridges Now and Then shared |
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HAER CAL,38-SANFRA,140--45 (CT)DETAIL VIEW OF CABLE SEAT ON TOP OF SOUTHERN TOWER |
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HAER CAL,38-SANFRA,140--46 (CT)GENERAL VIEW FROM TOP OF SOUTHERN TOWER, LOOKING NORTH |
HAER has several detail shots, but I couldn't find any photos showing the cables terminated in the anchorages. The bridge is so famous that the HAER description provides very little information.
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| Peter Xie-wu posted Golden Gate Bridge, back in 1987 when I worked there. 750 ft [230m] to the water. I AM NOT suggesting that anyone jump off the Bridge. This is a 1 in a million shot looking down the GGB from the top of the South Tower. You won't find another one like it taken while standing on the tower looking down. Bridges Now and Then shared Fred Stahlecker: I'm a bridge painter & no way would any super or inspector let guys wear sneakers. You'd be sent home. I'm saying photoshopped. Yannick Dehautesavoie: The answer to the reason of this photo is: “I worked for the Bridge District and got an invite by an engineer friend who worked there too.” Johnston Melbostad: 751.5 |
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| Kim Weatherby commented on the above post I think this is from the same guy It’s hard to get up there permission wise, |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted This page has passed 50,000 followers, thanks everyone! Mr Owen Dittmore, a painter on the Golden Gate Bridge, 1955. (National Geographic) Michele Ruffino: Love this page. Thank you for posting the picture of Mr. Owen Dittmore! That’s my grandfather. Russell Lovett: Is it true they never stop painting on it? I heard it takes so long, they start on one end, paint the entire bridge, then go right back and do it again.. ? Robert Somaduroff: Their website has a lot of info. They no longer use the lead-based paint they used to. The touch up rust as they find it, but completely repaint on a continuous basis. Brian Vaughn: Russell Lovett not true I am currently a painter we don’t work like that we are maintainance and put out hot spots as our engineering sept deems nessecary Fred Kronen: Actual photo of the last time they painted the south tower. [An almost 70 year paint job? That is hard to believe.] Matthew Strickland: International Orange Red Lead paint. It worked great except for the Poisoning. Brian Vaughn: Matthew Strickland the red lead was the primer now we use zinc rich primer an epoxy intermediate coat and acrylic topcoat. |
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| safe_image for The Golden Gate Bridge turns 80: Rare images from the archives |
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| Historic Photographs posted Golden Gate Bridge construction safety net- Ended up saving the lives of 19 workers. (1936) https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/building-golden-gate.../ Sharon Wagner: The Half Way to Hell club. I saw a neat story on this. Every one thought he (the builder) was crazy to spend that much on a safety net. He started a new trend in building and safety that is still used today. Scott Krahn: Unfortunately 11 workers died during construction, which was actually seen as a successfully low number at the time. I work in the boiler industry, and just over 100 years ago, about 50,000 Americans died every year in boiler explosions. Due to ASME boiler codes and many other safety measures, I believe only about a dozen people die per year now, and over 80% of those are due to operator error. Kenneth Speth: A painting scaffold broke loose during construction, tore through the safety net and plunged into the bay along with several [10] painters who were on it at the time. Tom Blanchette: The Golden Gate Bridge was manufactured by the American Bridge Co., in Ambridge, PA. Loaded on barges down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River, to the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal, up the west coat to SF, then assembled like an erector set. [Another comment says GG Bridge was the first ever building site to require compulsory hard hats.] Historical San Francisco USA posted The Safety Net Under the Golden Gate Bridge During Construction, San Francisco (1930s) In the 1930s, a safety net was installed under the Golden Gate Bridge to protect workers during construction, a pioneering measure that saved numerous lives. The massive project attracted engineers and laborers from around the country, all contributing to this iconic symbol of modern engineering. The safety net, though not foolproof, represented an early commitment to worker safety. When completed, the Golden Gate Bridge stood as a marvel of resilience and innovation, connecting San Francisco to Marin County. Dave Fone: Nowadays there is also a net on either side of the bridge along its length to catch suicidal jumpers. Fortunately, it's barely even visible until you're very close to the bridge. |
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| Historic Photographs posted Joseph Strauss, the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge, ordered that a safety net be installed under the bridge during construction. For the time, it was a revolutionary thing. The net "captured" 19 men who had fallen, saving them all from certain death. Historic PhotographsBridges Now and Then shared |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Charter members of the Golden Gate Bridge's Halfway To Hell Club:Miles Green, Paul Terry, James Roberts, Jack Miller, Jack Dayle, Edward Stanley (Not pictured are Ward Chamberlain, George Murray,John Perry and Al Zampa who were still in the hospital when this picture was taken.) Al Zampa (1905–2000), one of the club's first members and the last surviving member said "There were ten of us that fell into the nets those first few weeks. Four got hurt. I was one of them. We were in the hospital together. We formed the club right there in St. Luke's Hospital." Bridges Now and Then: The Halfway To Hell Club was a club organized by the men who fell from the Golden Gate Bridge during its construction and were saved by the safety nets. There were 19 members by end of construction in 1937. Bridges Now and Then shared Wayback Wednesday, an early post from this page. |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted A cold day during Golden Gate Bridge construction. (SF Gate) |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted Peter Pike, left, and Tommy Magee bluffed their way onto the Golden Gate Bridge during construction, c. 1936, flashing a 50 cent piece as a badge to the site guard. (Peter Pike, Jr.) |
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| Historic Photographs posted Rare photo of the Golden Gate Bridge’s early construction, 1935. (Colorized) Historic Photographs |
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| Bridges Now and Then posted "Fort Point and Golden Gate Bridge construction. This photo, taken around 1933, shows the early construction phase of the Golden Gate Bridge. Notice that the southeast area of Fort Point was used as a staging area for construction materials. Photo is in the Public Domain courtesy of U.S. National Park Service." |
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| Erik Nordberg updated This week's cover photo is from 1934 and documents the construction of the Golden Gate Bridges in San Francisco, California. The southern approach to the bridge was constructed over the 1861 U.S. Army fortification, Fort Point (also known as Fort Winfield Scott). The image was copied as part of a 1983 Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) project, CA-1239. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/ca0649.photos.016792p/ |
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| Historical San Francisco USA posted Golden Gate Bridge Under Construction, San Francisco (1937) By 1937, construction of the Golden Gate Bridge was in its final stages, drawing attention from across the nation. The bridge’s main towers, connected by cables, stretched across the bay in a magnificent display of engineering. As one of the last steps in construction, crews worked tirelessly to complete the roadbed, anticipating the bridge’s grand opening. This iconic structure, symbolic of hope and resilience, became an instant landmark upon its completion, celebrated worldwide. |
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| Dave Frieder commented on the above post One of the "Tie-Down" points on the San Francisco side. Most of you most likely know of this. |
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| Gianni LaRosa posted Bridges Now and Then posted BNaT Classic. One of my favorite spots on Earth. |
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| Duck & Cover, Growing Up in the Atomic Age posted Golden Gate Bridge, Opening day, aka "Pedestrian Day”–some 200,000 bridge walkers showed up. May 27, 1937 |
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| Highway Engineering Discoveries posted Dave Frieder: 50th Anniversary. Highway Engineering Discoveries posted again In 1987 an estimated 800,000 people flocked to the the Golden Gate Bridge for its 50th anniversary. The weight of the large crowd caused the bridge to sag 7 feet, flattening its usual convex shape. Engineer Daniel E. Mohn reaffirmed the bridge was not overstressed as a result of Bridgewalk ‘87. |
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| Highway Engineering Discoveries posted Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco |
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| Highway Engineering Discoveries posted Golden Gate Bridge ,USA |
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| Ed Lazzara posted One of my favorite hobbies is to walk across bridges. Anyone else do that? This photo was from 1983, my first encounter with the Golden Gate Bridge. Every time I go back, it always fills me with awe. |
Richard B. Strauss was the Chief Engineer of record. But Historic Bridges explains that Charles Alton Ellis was effectively the chief engineer of the design that got built. But Strauss got mad at Ellis for delaying the design because he thought he should double check the calculations. Strauss not only fired Ellis because he wanted a safe design, he removed his name from the plans and the plaque for the bridge.
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| Leslie R trick commented on Bridge Hunter: Here is Joseph Strauss's proposed design for the Golden Gate bridge the reason this design did not work is because the the public thought it was ugly. |
According to the "bridgeStrauss" label in this blog, I'm up to 29 bridges that use a "teetor-totter" to hold the counterweight for a movable weight. Here are some examples of the Strauss trunnion bridge design in Chicago, IL.
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| DeBruler-C&NW |
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| DeBruler-StCharles |
Great history and photos! Especially the one of Owen Dittmore. He was our next door neighbor in the Glenwood Subdivision in San Rafael. I was just a little kid, but I remember him telling me about working on the bridge.
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