It’s listed as one of 7 Wonders of the Modern World. Susan defended it from aliens (Monsters vs Aliens), the Apes battled on it (Planet of the Apes), Starfleet Academy is next to it, and James Bond almost fell off it… you can’t get any more San Francisco than the Golden Gate Bridge.
This landmark lived through the 1989 earthquake when all other bridges crumbled in sections, the Golden Gate remained strong and steady. In the days after the earthquake, it proceeded to carry a record number of cars in and out of San Francisco as the other bridges were repaired.
It’s not gold, nor will it ever be gold. The red paint you see is International Orange, which fits with the surrounding scenery. The “Golden Gate” name comes because the bridge passes over the Golden Gate Strait — the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.
The bridge has been that colour since it was built in the 1930s. During its construction, the city invested in a safety net meant to catch workers as they fell. Seems the strong winds frequently blew the workers off the bridge. The net saved 19-men. These 19 eventually formed the Halfway-to-Hell Club.
The net didn’t save everyone, however. Today’s post is in honour of 12-men who died on February 17, 1937, when the scaffolding they were standing on fell through the safety net.
