Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge
May 27, 1937 was Pedestrian Day in San Francisco. This kicked off a week-long
celebration of the new Golden Gate Bridge. Pedestrian Day meant that the bridge was
open to foot traffic for 25 cents per person. About 200,000 people paid the fee and
crossed the 1.7-mile span in their walking shoes or on roller skates. For the first time, it
was possible to walk across the San Francisco Bay, from the northern tip of San
Francisco to the southern end of Marin County. Automobile traffic was permitted the
next day at noon.
Before the Golden Gate Bridge was constructed, San Francisco was a relatively isolated
city. It sat at the top of a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water that was difficult
to cross. The Golden Gate itself is a narrow strip of water at the mouth of the San
Francisco Bay. With strong currents and a depth of 400 feet, the Golden Gate strait is
foreboding to sailors. On the other hand, circumnavigating the whole San Francisco Bay
has its drawbacks too: the trip is hundreds of miles long and involves crossing several
rivers, which can become shallow sand traps.
For these reasons, ferry service between San Francisco and Marin County began in 1820.
First the ferry was only for railroad passengers, but later on people could bring their
automobiles in tow. This became booming business.
When bridge proposals became serious, the ferry companies, including the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company, opposed any bridge as competition. The military also
objected to spanning the San Francisco Bay; they questioned whether the bridge would
interfere with war ships. People in general wondered about the sturdiness of a suspension
bridge, which is held by cables and strung between towers. Could such a bridge withstand
the Bays strong gusts of wind? How would the bridge remain rooted in the ocean floor?
Nonetheless, by the 1900s it was evident that ferries alone could not handle travel
demands. The citys growth would be restricted until it overcame obstacles to trading
with Northern California. In 1916 the Chicago-based engineer Joseph Strauss responded
to San Franciscos call for bridge submissions. Immediate local support mixed with
alleged bribery helped him secure support from the city council. Strauss personally
traveled north, too, to lobby Marin County council members and business people. He
assured them that once a bridge was built from San Francisco, their businesses and
property values would grow. He gained their support. By 1932, the founder of San
Francisco-based Bank of America agreed to finance the estimated $30 million project.
Work started in 1933.
The Golden Gate Bridge blueprints were improved upon since Strausss original
submission. Strauss had little experience with suspension style bridges, so he hired a
team of architects who made significant contributions. Today, the Purdue professor
Charles Ellis is widely recognized as being the main architect behind the bridge, while
Strauss is regarded as its organizer and promoter. A San Francisco architect named Irving
Morrow, who was part of Strausss team, also made important contributions. He
suggested painting the bridge a color he called international orange. This would
complement the surrounding blues and greens of nature, and simultaneously make the
bridge visible through fog. (If the bridge coloring had been left to the government or
Strauss, it would likely have been black.) Irving also designed the bridges arches to play
with light throughout the day, making the bridge especially pleasing to the eye. Electric
lighting along the cables adds to the visual appeal at night.
The project was completed within four years and under budget at $27 million. The final
project was built to withstand the Bays high winds; it can sway 27 feet and still safely
hold traffic. It has only been closed a few times since 1937 when winds reached 70 miles
per hour.
Today, ferry service continues between San Francisco and Marin County, but the Golden
Gate Bridge carries over 40 million passengers each year.
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Tag: San Francisco Bay
A History of Alcatraz Island
A History of Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island is a small isle with a colorful history. Located in the San Francisco Bay,
the land has filled important functions for the United States since Californias Gold Rush.
Today it is best known for housing the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Alcatraz Island has
been a national recreation area since 1963.
The island first became known to Europeans in 1775. That year, Spanish naval officer
Juan de Ayala discovered it while charting the San Francisco Bay. He named the land
mass La Isla de los Alcatrices, which translates to Pelican Island.
Spain put the island under Mexicos jurisdiction. After a few sales and legal battles, the
island eventually became the property of the United States government; explorer John
Frmont purchased it on the nations behalf for $5000 in 1846.
Two years later, when gold was discovered at Sutters Mill, ships from around the world
set sail for San Francisco Bay. Sailors urgently needed a lighthouse for navigation, and
Alcatraz Island was a prime location. A lighthouse was set atop Alcatraz in 1853.
That same year, the US Army began studying the islands potential as a defense base.
The Army Corps of Engineers began a five-year fortification project in 1853. Soldiers
moved in by 1859. When the American Civil War broke out, resident soldiers mounted
more than 100 cannons around the islands perimeter. They never fired the cannons, but
they did use a guardhouse basement to imprison west coast Confederate sympathizers,
Native American Hopis, and other persons deemed threats to the Union.
Following the war, the government transitioned Alcatraz Island from a center of military
defense to a detention center. The islands isolation amidst cold water and powerful
currents made prisoner escape highly unlikely. A brick jailhouse was quickly constructed,
and long-term military prisoners were delivered there by 1868.
Alcatraz Island began housing civilian prisoners by the hundreds in 1906. This was a
result of the San Francisco earthquake; with jails destroyed on the mainland, law
enforcement needed a new secure location for the inmates. In 1907 the building was
designated the Western US Military Prison. The original lighthouse gave way to a three-
story concrete cell block in 1909. (A second lighthouse was constructed later that year.)
As a military prison, Alcatraz held a range of prisoners from convicted murderers to
World War I conscientious objectors. Those who behaved well might enjoy time
outdoors. Some even worked as servants for families who lived on the island! However,
others experienced the militarys strict discipline; punishments included solitary
confinement, severe food and water restrictions, and hard labor.
The prison drew interesting characters as Prohibition era crime developed. Famous
mobsters like Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly found Alcatraz was their new
home. The government responded to their especially ruthless reputations by upgrading
security. This included such additions as iron bars, metal detectors to screen visitors,
teargas canisters, and the cementing of old underground tunnels. Prisoners were closely
monitored with the issuing of one guard for every three inmates. There were also twelve
inmate countings per day!
According to prison records, no inmates successfully escaped during the penitentiarys 29
years in operation. Most people who fled the island were shot, were returned, or were
found to have drowned. Some escaped convicts are unaccounted for, but most people
assume they perished in the frigid San Francisco Bay. A $1 million recapture reward
offered by a local ferry operator remains unclaimed.
Despite the restrictions, prisoners also had recreation. By the 1920s these prisoners had
formed baseball teams, and on Fridays the Army hosted Alcatraz Fights, a tradition of
boxing matches between inmates.
The War Department closed the famous military prison in 1934. The prison had
unusually high operational costs, and waste from island residents was polluting the San
Francisco Bay. The Department of Justice assumed management until 1963.
Today, the island is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The National Park
Service provides tours. During the warmer months, tourists reach the island via a ferry
that departs San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf neighborhood. Some Alcatraz Island
attractions include the scenic bay view, the islands flora and fauna, and tours of the
famous prison.
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San Francisco is Tops in Romance
If you’re looking for a romantic vacation or honeymoon, perhaps you should consider visiting San Francisco, California. This great city offers a little something for everyone in addition to some very romantic destinations. There have even been songs about how romantic San Francisco is. Tony Bennett left his heart there if memory serves and who could resist a view of the Golden Gate Bridge when there’s a full moon?
San Francisco has been designated one of the most romantic cities in America don’t you think it’s time your found out why? It could have something to do with the climate, the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge, the many beaches around that are great for talking long walks at sunset or the many parks in the area where romantic couples can walk together, hike, bike, and simply enjoy being together. In addition to activities such as this, there are other ways in which to enjoy the great outdoors of San Francisco as a couple. You could take a sunset cruise in the San Francisco bay is you want to make a very romantic night of it.
If you want to have a truly romantic experience you could schedule a couples massage at one of the many day spas in the area. This is an experience that neither of you would be likely to forget anytime soon. While there are spas across the country, there are quite possibly as many spas as there are Starbuck’s in the city of San Francisco so you can be a lot more selective in the one you choose.
Another romantic thing to do while vacationing in San Francisco is to tour the various vineyards in the area. While San Francisco is not literally part of wine country, it is only a stone’s throw away from some of the most famous vineyards in America. It would be a literal sin to come so close and not tour these American legacies. Check with the wineries you want to visit ahead of time, as some require appointments for tours. Rest assured that visiting the beautiful countryside and enjoying the tasting of various wines will make for quite the romantic outing. Be sure to taste responsibly.
Still need some romantic activities? Try a picnic in Golden Gate Park. After your picnic, perhaps you can rent a rowboat and take a trip around the lake or bicycles. Use your imagination and let your sense of romance rule the day. Walk into a flower shop and buy every daisy in the store (that may be a little dramatic, but you get the picture). The most romantic things that have ever happened in my life, were not planned, they were spur of the moment gestures that touched me far more than any contrived venture ever could.
Take your loved one to the Equinox, which is a revolving restaurant and bar at the top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. While the dining experience can be pricey, the spectacular view will take some of the sting out of the meal. Besides is there really a price that is too high to pay for romance?
If either of you have the slightest interest in art, San Francisco is full of museums and galleries that should appeal to your artistic nature and provide plenty of topics for discussion. Even if you aren’t a fan of traditional art, you may actually surprise yourself by liking the art you find in this diverse city.
Any trip to San Francisco would have to be determined to be a romantic dud if it didn’t include a trip to either Fisherman’s Wharf, China Town, or Little Italy. These areas provide great food, beautiful and interesting sites, as well as a taste of cultural diversity that is hard to find in this day and age. It would be like traveling to New Orleans and not visiting the French Quarter. I whole-heartedly recommend devoting one entire day of your trip to one of these places if not each of them. Fisherman’s Wharf is by far my favorite to visit for the sights and sounds, but both China Town and Little Italy have great things to offer as well. Plus, the food is too good to pass on without at least giving it serious thought.
Romance is a state of mind; it’s just much easier to get to that mental place in a city like San Francisco. Take a trip with your beloved and see what all the talk is about.
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