Historic Landmarks of San Francisco

With the possible exception of the cable cars, nothing says San Francisco like the Golden Gate Bridge. This is somewhat ironic in that a significant chunk of the structure (the north tower and span) actually lie in Marin County, the City’s neighbor to the north. Be that as it may, the Bridge is treasured by San Franciscans, Marinites, and millions of others around the world.

This architectural and engineering masterpiece was planned and constructed during the Great Depression. Credit for the design was initially given to engineer Joseph Strauss; he was only too happy to accept it. Subsequent research has shifted the accolades to architect Irving Morrow, a much more modest individual.

Despite its jaw-dropping awesomeness, the Bridge is a people-friendly structure, as evidenced by its 10 million (!) annual visitors. Thousands of people walk, jog, and pedal on and over it most every day of the year.

Perhaps the best example of the public’s affection for the structure occurred on May 24, 1987, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Bridge. The 24th was the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, a time of minimal vehicular traffic, The powers that be decided to close the Bridge to cars, busses, and trucks for a four-hour stretch, starting in the early morning hours, and allow pedestrians and cyclists to use the roadway for the first time since Opening Day. Due to the earliness of the hour, authorities expected a crowd of about 80,000. They were astonished when ten times that many people showed up. The roadway and walkways soon became engorged with humanity; movement was difficult if not impossible. An estimated 300,000 were essentially trapped for hours. The combined weight of people was so great that the normal graceful parabolic curve of the span flattened out for the only time in its history. It was rumored that what sounded like machine-gun fire was heard by some; this was the sound of rivets popping out of the bridge supports. Miraculously, the Bridge held. Had it failed the result would have been one of the greatest catastrophes of history. As it was there were a few injuries but no fatalities reported, The Bridge and all its visitors survived! (And the bridge resumed its normal curved shape.)