The Golden Gate Bridge towers over the San Francisco Bay as a masterpiece of modern engineering. Joseph Strauss fought for over a decade to build this structure despite strong opposition from ferry companies. Today, it stands as one of the most photographed landmarks on the entire planet. However, the bridge hides many strange stories behind its famous orange paint. For instance, the military originally wanted to paint it in ugly stripes to help ships see it. Furthermore, a massive crowd once physically flattened the arch during a party. Prepare to cross the strait with the ultimate California icon.
Golden Gate
Originally, the US Navy wanted to paint the bridge black and yellow. They argued that these tiger stripes would make the structure visible in the fog. However, the architect Irving Morrow fought to keep the orange primer color instead.
Specifically, the famous color is called “International Orange.” Architects chose it because it complements the natural colors of the hills and the sky. Consequently, you can buy this exact paint formula to use at home today.
The “Halfway to Hell Club” consisted of men who fell during construction. Fortuitously, a safety net caught nineteen workers before they hit the water. Thus, these lucky survivors formed an exclusive group with this dark name.
Joseph Strauss insisted on using safety nets for the first time. Before this project, one worker typically died for every million dollars spent. Therefore, his expensive net saved many lives and changed construction safety standards forever.
Shockingly, the bridge flattened during its 50th anniversary party. In 1987, officials allowed 300,000 people to walk on the deck at once. The massive weight caused the curved arch to drop by seven feet.
Panic ensued during the flattening event as the bridge groaned loudly. Terrified visitors threw their bicycles into the ocean to escape the crush. Fortunately, the engineers had designed the structure to flex without collapsing.
Surprisingly, workers do not paint the bridge from end to end annually. Instead, they inspect the steel and only paint the spots that show corrosion. This “spot painting” method protects the metal more efficiently than a full coat.
The bridge contains approximately 1.2 million steel rivets. Workers installed these fasteners by heating them until they glowed red hot. Then, they threw them to catchers who secured them into the towers.
Structurally, the bridge can sway nearly twenty-eight feet side to side. Engineers designed this flexibility to withstand the powerful winds of the Golden Gate Strait. Consequently, the bridge is safer because it moves with the storm.
Uniquely, the fog horns emit different tones to guide ships. The horn at mid-span sounds a different note than the horn at the tower. Therefore, captains know their exact location just by listening to the blasts.
Two black-tailed deer once shut down all traffic. In 2014, the animals wandered onto the roadway during the busy evening commute. Eventually, officials stopped the cars to safely escort the deer off the bridge.
Only two men have ever closed the bridge for personal visits. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and French President Charles de Gaulle received this honor. Otherwise, the bridge remains open twenty-four hours a day for traffic.
Construction workers had to drink sauerkraut juice every morning. The site doctor ordered this to prevent hangovers and scurvy among the crew. Surprisingly, the men believed it helped them balance on the high beams.
The billionth driver received a case of champagne. In 1985, a lucky dentist crossed the bridge and won a hard hat and bubbly. Instantly, he became a minor celebrity in the local news.
Finally, the bridge has a “sister” in Portugal. The 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon looks almost identical to the Golden Gate. Interestingly, the same company built the suspension cables for both of these massive structures.
