The Golden Gate Bridge, Part 2 cTv (California Travel Videos) – we welcome you to view our planning video where we discuss lots of interesting aspects of the history behind building what in the 1930s was to be the world’s longest suspension bridge, built over the most challenging waterway!
Check out our 36 minute video where Grace and Michael discuss the history behind the Golden Gate, including the Civil War and Alcatraz, the Gold Rush, bridge allies and foes, the Great Depression, bridge toll$, and much more. We thank Wikipedia’s “Creative Common” license to share their online photos, prior to Part 3 where cTv will be shooting photos and video “on location.”
Many visitors are aware that in 1937 bridge architect Joseph Strauss completed the construction of the “then world’s longest and most challenging” suspension bridge. True, during the post Great Depression period, building such a beautiful art-deco inspired achievement was a stunning achievement. But to really understand the significance of the undertaking, we will go way back to the days when the Mexican’s occupied the area, how the California Bear Republic led to Statehood in the prosperity of the Gold Rush, followed by California turmoil on whether or not it wanted to secede from the Union during the Civil War (enter prison Alcatraz).
But wait, that’s just the beginning. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many challenged whether or not it made sense to build a near-impossible bridge across a very deep waterway with strong winds above and the possibility of earthquakes below. And if that wasn’t enough, the Southern Pacific Railroad wanted to keep control of transportation with its profitable ferry service, the US Department of War didn’t like the idea of a bridge across a strategic seaport. Then there’s the matter of financing with a scarcity of money to feed, cloth and house people, let alone consider building an expensive bridge.
In addition to checking out photo opportunities, we will explore more history, the people who were REALLY behind designing the bridge (Charles Ellis, etc.), some interesting bridge statistics and how it works, when mother nature and man shuts down the bridge and the “pet peeve” for locals – the history and future of bridge tolls! So sit down, tune in and check out our 36 minute video with a wealth of information on the Golden Gate Bridge. Who knows, afterwards you might even win a bet against your friends on how the GGB got its name (hint – it has nothing to do with its color…)
Links to check out before you travels to the Golden Gate Bridge:
Walking tours, SF Events www.SFCityGuides.org
Visitor info, Photos www.sanfrancisco.travel/icons/golden-gate-bridge.html
Golden Gate National Recreational Area http://www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm
Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge
Flickr Photos www.flickr.com/groups/ggb/
Things to see gocalifornia.about.com/cs/sanfrancisco/a/ggbridge.htm
Professional Photos 500px.com/search?q=golden+gate+bridge
To order our photos, please see our online SmugMug site where you can purchase beautiful large canvas and acrylic heirlooms, medium to small photos or even photos printed on other media including greeting cards, stickers, playing cards, coffee cups, shirts, etc.
http://californiatravelvideos.smugmug.com/
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