“New Series – This is the first of our new series called “Photo Blog.” One image will be selected and have a short blog description written about it. In the future, you will be able to buy copies of the image in various ways – stay tuned.“
No one needs to be told this is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. It spans the mile-wide entrance to the bay, connecting the city with Marin County. The bridge is widely considered to be the most photographed bridge in the world.
This view is a favorite, but can you tell me where it was shot? To get this shot, you must follow the road through the Presidio, down a winding road, following signs for the Fort Point National Historic Site, which is at the base of the bridge. Parking is available there. To see the Fort too, check its open times; it typically is only open on weekends.
It was built between 1933 and 1937. Construction crews braved intimidating, dangerous conditions, creating a marvel of engineering. Built during the Great Depression, crews were made up of all sorts, from clerks to cabbies. All you needed was to be tough enough.
The orange color of the bridge was supposed to be the “primer” color. The Navy had wanted it painted yellow and blue (or black) strips to make it easier to see. So glad they stayed with orange as the final color. The color is called – orange vermilion, which is known as “International Orange.”
The bridge support was the first-ever constructed in the open ocean at 90 feet of depth. It is 1.7 miles long, with a 4,200 ft central span, the longest for a suspension bridge until 1981. It was named one of seven civic wonders of the United States in 1994.
Photo by Tom Graham
