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Great footage from 1930s of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge in every phase of construction.
Stock shots of completed bridge; informative narration; explanative illustrations illuminate bridges dimensions and other structural aspects of design.
05:01:00:13 VS statue of Joseph Strauss, Chief Engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge in front of Golden Gate Bridge.
05:02:22:26 Graphic illustration in red and white of San Francisco Bay area animated to highlight San Francisco, Marin and the Golden Gate passage. Narration explains necessity for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
05:02:59:10 Illustration animated to highlight dimensions of the Golden Gate Bridge. Center span tower to tower 4200 feet. Side-spans each 1125 feet. Roadway 250 above water.
05:06:42:18 Pan up rendering of single Golden Gate Bridge Tower; arrows indicated dimension of tower.
05:07:57:23 VS craning in large steel sections of the Golden Gate bridge off boat in San Francisco Bay.
05:26:10:08 Pan down from north tower of Golden Gate Bridge to view down empty newly completed bridge; fade in spinning newspaper to CU San Francisco Chronicle headlines "100,000 Cross Span", "Gateway to An Empire", Pedestrians Jam Structure from Morning to Night."
05:26:24:29 VS Golden Gate Bridge inauguration and ceremonial first crossing.
Video Credit - Prelinger Archives - Bethlehem Steel #AIRBOYD #AvGeek
My dad was a GI coming back on a troop ship from the Philippines at the end of WW11. After 21 days on that troop ship they went under the golden gate bridge. My dad was laying on his back looking up at underside of the bridge. Until his death at age 92 in 2008, he said the sight of that bridge was the most beautiful thing he had witnessed in his long life. LV cohocton ny
My grandfather was a bridge painter on the Golden Gate Bridge. He was very proud of the job they did.
They're constantly going over every square inch of that structure looking for any signs of rust, and if found, they scrape it and get rid of all of it, and then the application of a fresh coat of orange paint. Then they move to the next spot. 365 Days/yr. And when I say every inch I mean from the top of the towers, along the cables, the guardrails, and along the sides and under neath the span
I’ve walked over that bridge multiple times. I get nervous at the midway point. It’s HIGH up. Amazing your grandfather painted the bridge.
@@bruceperkins7253 the guy reading this comment is a NERD!!!!!!! Yes You
did he tell how long it was going to last?
I’ve heard 250 years
And to achieve this marvel, there were no computers, no CAD, just incredible engineering skill of the designers and builders. Congratulations 🎊 😊😊
Great Pyramids have joined the chat
Incredible
What a massive feat of engineering to build this back in the 1930's. To think of the enormous amount of weight on all the spans across the bridge and to have the tolerances right and have everything match up perfectly. Just incredible.
Agreed. That America is long gone.
Having served on a Nuclear Submarine in the 70s, I have seen the Golden Gate Bridge from below as we left Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. After serving , stayed living in the City, I drove the bridge quite a few times, walked on it and flew over it. One of the most beautiful iconic structures that represent America.
how old are you bro
I am an old engineer. I really did use a slide rule as a freshman in college. I so appreciate the skull sweat that went into the design and construction of things back in the 20s and 30s. Slide rules, pen and paper calculations. Just brilliant work
Indeed! Things were built to LAST in those days, even more so if you took good care of it. Even though you worked for an employer/conglomerate, you still took pride in your work. Otherwise, word got out that it was junk, whatever it was. Nowadays, everything's built to fall apart to create the need to buy another. Pride of workmanship is long gone.
The Golden Gate bridge is one of the most beautiful structures that man has ever created. It's design is timeless. Traveling on this bridge as the fog rolls in over the bay makes me marvel at its builders.
You are correct, it's a shame it is now adjacent to one of the most pathetic shit hole cities in this country, democRAT communist-dominated San Francisco.
@@drats1279 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Debatable opinion, but i respect it
That’s what happens when a nations run by White people. Blacks built nothing. Ghews steal everything
@@kelvinf45 But will you respect his opinion in the morning?
My grandfather worked on the golden gate, He died 4 years ago . He would tell me story’s about him being 800 feet in the air
Tell us your favorite story
At 23:00, I was moved to tears. I was sailing on s.s. Cleveland under the bridge in August 1956 from Hong Kong to start my American dream at the age of 19. We rode on top of the bridge the next day. I was awed by the sight of the greatness of the engineering ! At first I was a full time waiter, then part time in college. And finally I passed the registration exams and became an architect, I never forget what I experienced when I was on the Golden bridge that day ! George Wu, A.I.A. ARCHITECT, NCARB 2018-4-6
georgewu5 Thats a wonderful memory. It’s clearly evident that seeing and experiencing this engineering marvel first-hand played a large role in the path you would chose for yours and your family’s lives. It is said that this was a time when no one, who saw the bridge as you did that day, had ever seen anything like it. Simply put: nothing like it, or even close to it, actually existed.
georgewu5 you were moved to tears? Ok.
Thank you for sharing your experience. It takes real people sharing personal experiences to make history come alive to the rest of us. I grew up in the Bay Area and lived in the city for a time and appreciate your experience. We share the emotional bond to bridge you cite. Cheers my friend!
I think tucker green could use a dose of reality. Join the the Marines and we will make tears flow from your eyes.
Charles Lindsay what or where is tucker green? I'm afraid I'm not from the west coast, so I don't really know the names of places over there. The connection of the Marines and the Golden Gate Bridge is not one that I know. Explain please?
My grandfather worked on the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. He had a rough life and a drinking problem but working on the Golden Gate Bridge was one thing he was really proud of. He passed away in 1966.
God Bless your grandfather and his courage
God bless him and all the men who worked on the bridge...
This is dev'll brigade combat
I have conmemorative coins de golden gate ignagurecion and paper too
ldchappell1 ?9(
4 years to build the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930's. 5 years to re-build a simple 2 lane roadway bridge over a highway in 2011.
That’s what health and safety has done to the industry
Guess you guys don't know about the people that died while building the bridge.
@@Kaje_ 11 people dead and 19 severely injured on top of the Natives and multinational workers being treated like slaves yeah we really have become weak haven't we...
Maybe the company re-building bridge was not as rich as one building golden gate bridge. Amish still do farming with horses.
Bureaucrats
A safety net used in the 30’s.... that was pretty forward thinking and safety belts as well!!! For those reasons 19 hard working men made it home at the end of a hard day... I bow my head in a moment of silence and respect to the ones that built all these structures and to the not so fortunate ones who paid the ultimate sacrifice for progress..... May you all rest in peace.... I may be a Canadian but I still am proud of both of our countries..and the brave men that built them
My Father who was a Ford Model A/T Mechanic in San Francisco drove across the Golden Gate Bridge on the 1st day. He was rather proud of that fact and mentioned it periodically.
Ed Rodrigues I’ll bet! How could anyone ever forget that?
With a cigar and a fedora we'll go
Oh wow! Thats pretty cool! :)
In 1968 I fell in love with engineering when I saw an Apollo Rocket launch. In 1971 i went on a road trip, 30 days, and saw the Hoover Dam, and the San Francisco bridge. To this day, a whole career of chemical engineering behind me, and I am still thrilled by engineering, the mere thought of using your brain and resources to solve immense problems. I love it! And I tell you, there is so much respect for all these blue collar guys who busted their asses to build it.
Retired IW/W here
I hope with all they went through that they made it to heaven otherwise it would be a complete loss
To all those men who spend their time and labor for this bridge every one of you is a hero for you proved the impossible a possible truth, America is truly blessed because of you .
I agree 100% you are so right...These men earn our respect...and I'm a proud Canadian...married to a great American...
A friend of mine tried to destroy the Golden gate bridge but he was stopped by me and Jacob w
There’s never a mention of the crane operators who worked on these jobs. Such talent to run those old. Friction drive winches , waterfall spools, and not kill our injure the crews. Such a tense job every day would be really tough.
Did anyone lose their life building this bridge?
I really admire the concentration and dedication of these stable and sensitive hard working men. Thank you so much.
I don't blame them for being alcoholics IF they were
Then do your own documentary and mention the crane operators!!!!
Please enplane waterfall spools, i've not heard that term, thank you.
those workers were fearless and skilled at balancing so high up, nerves of steel.
all people back then where just better people. playground had things almost 40 feet high , nobody sued if their stupid kid got hurt . we are so weak today.
People did die before the net was put up. Unfortunately ten people died when something heavy fell on the net and ripped it.
This was back when even women in this country had balls........
Today's OSHA would have gotten their panties all bunched up at all of what would be considered violations being committed back then. Hard hats & a safety net were considered state of the art protection. It seems we go from one extreme to another. Regardless, life is too short, without man devising ways, or wars, to make it even shorter. Enjoy life while you are able.
Direction
Lets be thankful that someone had the foresight to film this epic piece of engineering, designed and built with all those component parts marshalled and delivered without a computer, which is one thing we couldn't do today.
Notice, the trains delivering all the steel were powered by *steam locomotives* -- before the advent of diesel engine drives.
Not knowing then there would be a KZhead
May the souls of all the seniors, RIP .
As an European, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge on a convertible Mustang on the way to San Francisco was the absolute highlight of my West Coast road trip. Praise to the engineers that made this possible.
I was born there in sight of this AWESOME BRIDGE!! 1932, Everyone was So PROUD of this Bridge they would say THEY had a Part in Building this Bridge! "MY PARENTS BUILT THIS BRIDGE" etc and so on.I am 85 now and quite AMAZED at this FEAT some would say it could NOT be BUILT!!
777Starfire it has stood the test of time. Hats off to that intrepid generation.
AT the BOTTOM on UP!!
For an OLDER gentleman, you SURE do have EXCEPTIONAL KZhead language SKILLS! Knowing RIGHT where to add INFLECTION, and JUST which words to EMPHASIZE in order TO make YOUR point! WELL done, MATE!! 👍✌
+TWSTF 8 Do you think it's inevitable that we lose our language skills? It's not.
@@twstf8905 Sounds like you want to take him out on a date.
I live in England, I caught my first glimpse of the bridge was from a Pan Am 747 as it circled above the bay, I was so excited that I almost wept. The first thing my wife and I did after checking into our Hotel was to order a cab, which took us to, and across the bridge, waited for me to take a few photos then took us back across the bridge to our hotel in the city. Our holiday itinerary always included a visit to the bridge, so next morning we repeated the trip, with the huge windows and raised seats, which gave us a different perspective of bridge and surrounding areas. This happened before 911, but we have never forgotten our first trip to the US.
Hi! Great story! Thanx for sharing! :)
I grew up in Northern California but I remember the first time as a kid visiting it felt other worldly. Quite amazing the scale by today’s standards and the weather it sits in.
We need to Praise the workers , technicians and the engineers who were involved in this unique project.. Though they didn't have the technology which we have today they did their level best .. Today we are enjoying their talent and hard work..They deserve appreciation forever..
Those men were true unsung heroes , 30 lost their lives ! R.I.P.
As a Journeyman Ironworker I am heartbroken that the writters of this documentary didn't bother to write in the true grit, the commitment and courage, and the sacrifices of the raising gang (Union Ironworkers) .. So much attention was paid to the engineers and planners .. So little credit given to the men who truly take these projects from sketches and mathematical figures and bring them into real-world existence .. FORGET THE PAPER PUSHERS .. America, you should all know that the great structures that are seen as iconic in this country are built by Ironworkers !! Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Sears Tower, 1 WTC, St Louis Arch, Etc. Etc. ... UNION IRONWORKERS !!!
+Nathan Owens Why not explain to others how ironworkers and other building trades scam their lunch hours so by rotating the lunch hours among trades you collectively sit on your asses one third of the day? get a connector to explain it if you are too dumb.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge?????
That remarkable story is told in this excellent video: The Men Who Built The Golden Gate Bridge kzhead.info/sun/nLSmf92ygJt5Z58/bejne.html The first major job that required safety harnesses, hardhats, and respirators. The safety net was proposed by Strauss and paid for by Bethlehem Steel.
N.J. Owens On the money brother!
Without the construction personnel this bridge would remain a set of illustrations on a drawing board.
Just think, all who had anything to do with design or construction are all dead and gone now, and it still stands.
Possibly not. Its likely some construction workers who were very young working on the latter part may be still alive. There are quite a few people alive now over 100 years old. But I do believe theyre all dead. Just sayin its possible.
@@batvette So, just an FYI - according to Wikipedia "With the death of Jack Balestreri in April 2012, all workers involved in the original construction are now deceased." But who knows, maybe there are still one or two people who played a part at a very young age, carrying rivets or sweeping up work areas, etc.?
That's a stupid thought.
@@davejones5640 lol dang
@@davejones5640 you're the stupid one.
Built with the slide rule; the engineer's most important design tool.
3melendr not just the slide rule, but lots of higher math, including calculus of hyperbolic functions, differential equations, and some calculations with up to 37 variables. Charles Ellis single-handedly calculated every load and force at every point. The man was incredible!!
Here is a little tidbit I found about the painting of the Golden Gate Bridge... _"Many misconceptions exist about how often the Bridge is painted. Some say once every seven years, others say from end-to-end each year. Actually, the Bridge was painted when it was originally built. Until 1965, only touch up was required. In 1965, advancing corrosion sparked a program to remove the original lead-based paint (which was 68% red lead paste in a linseed oil carrier). The removal continued to 1995. In 1965, the original paint was replaced with an inorganic zinc silicate primer and acrylic emulsion topcoat. In the 1980s, this paint system was replaced by a water-borne inorganic zinc primer and an acrylic topcoat. The Bridge will continue to require routine touch up painting on an on-going basis."_ The Golden Gate Bridge Organization
My grandfather worked on painting the bridge. We lived in San Francisco.
When i was a kid i was so confused why it wasnt gold.
Is it true that it takes so long to paint that by the time they reach the end they must go back and start over
these workes were brave people.
When I lived in SF in the 1960's and '70's, I used to go fishing at the pier near Fort Point. Used to park with the girlfriend at night near the fort also. Great memories that I will never forget. Loved that city during those years.
Where are you now?
@@jhuncabas2327 Arizona
Your lucky the Zodiac killing didn't walk up on you.
:)
@@garynorton8122 Oh! Goood point! Yikes!
Much prop's to the men that built this bridge. I'm chicken walking on a finished bridge. These guy's worked off beams and wires.
Henry,these guys aren't much different than we are,most people at the beginning are petrified at first.For most people it starts with a 6ft ladder then a 12ft then a 40ft scissor lift ect...Next thing you know its just routine. 1st thing in the morning getting way up high in the air can be a rude awakening but sometimes for a lot of people that's the difference between a paycheck and sitting at home especially during the great depression.
Nothing like straddling a 8 inch wide ibeam a few hundred feet above the ground as the sun rises.
Built in the ‘30s, it’s stunning today and always will be. I’ve been across it many times and it’s always special to think of the talented people who designed and built it way back when.
Every time I drive over The Golden Gate Bridge, I am in awe of the scale of the cables that hold the roadway up! It is still an incredible feat of engineering. This is a great documentary of the achievement.
A true national treasure -- reallly a world treasure. Not because it's an impressive architectural feat (which it is) but because it's deservedly one of the world's iconic manmade landmarks with things like the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal. I lived some years in San Francisco and I never got over the beauty of the bridge and how it fits its natural setting, surely one of the worlds' beautiful places.
I agree! Ive always wanted to go to this bridge!! I love bridges.
One of the greatest constructions of the 20th century, it's masterpiece of workmanship and engineering , that still stands with a proud presence into the 21st century.
All done without mordern day computers Just amazing
They didn't have Spell Checker, either...
Awesome Painting Company Just balls and whiskey. Amazing
A little too amazing !
Slide rules and shit. Pretty impressive.
How about the Brooklyn Bridge? It was first opened to traffic in 1883, back in the horse-and-buggy days.
Everyone's favorite bridge, and rightly so. As a Coast Guard sailor, I have made 50 or more trips in and out under the bridge. The most dangerous trip was on Christmas Eve, 1940 in the worst storm in history to hit the Golden Gate, and we were trying to respond to an S.O.S. from the lumber schooner, Daisy Gadsby. It took us 15 hours to get from Hunters Point to the lee of the Farallon Islands. We were ordered to return to Port, and that is when every man on our cutter stained his scivies. This was the Ariadne, 165 feet long, 600 tons dead weight. The waves were so huge we were picked up like a surf board and we began to fly. When we slowly slipped back into the trough behind was when every man was in a panic of fear, due to the danger of being swamped by a wave, stern first, and sinking stern first, all men and the cutter being lost. The old hands estimated we were flying at 45 mph as we went under Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz loomed all too quickly but we survived.
thank you much appreciated would really like to hear more details have you written anything up?
You say every man sitted in his britches.
No disrespect meant, but if this is a 1st person account, to be on board in 1940, the poster would be at least 95 years old today. Coast Guard service members are known as Coast Guardsmen formally and Coasties informally. There are no sailors in the Coast Guard.
I did the same in Navy warships .. awesome view
Not my favorite bridge..Mackinaw Bridge is more awesome...
i absolutely LOVE these wonderful, old American presentations. informative, directly to the point. The presentation voice is always authoritative, and yet confrontational and soothing. NO PC--thankfully, but just the simple unbridled facts. THANK YOU FOR POSTING.
Nice how they don't mention the guys that fell in the concrete to be buried. The safety belt looked real enough - to be used where they didn't slow down production. Safety isn't PC if you're the one walking the planks.
Agree, ...my impression also,,,maga
Yeah I'd love to hear someone modern talk with this type of paternal authority to his voice. Very proper and yet un-PC sounding. I'm sure he referred to Indians as "The Red Man" and Tribespeople as "Savages", and yet I don't detect any disrespect in his character. People back then were very interested in the progress of man over mother nature. It was a kind of innocence they possessed because they didn't yet need to look at the repercussions of unbridled expansion yet. The American family unit was taken for granted and it was just understood that each person would do their best before god and could trust his government to have his country's best interest in mind.
@@braddocke.hutton7392- Couldn't agree more. Sadly, look where we are now...
@@davidearea242 Modern SJW's have no respect for the men who built this country. They see construction and development as inevitable byproducts of Eurocentric Patriarchal Societies, not as amazing accomplishments or examples of teamwork and coordination. One friend I recently spoke with was taught in college that slaves built this country and he stood behind that. I couldnt shake my head hard enough.
This video may be old but it doesn't matter. I hope to see it some day. This is the kind of thing we used to watch at school in social studies class in the 80's. Thanks.
You need to see it indeed. Anyone who thinks man made structures cannot exist in harmony with nature is dead wrong. I was once blessed to view the bridge from the Marin Headlands on a clear night with a full moon shining over the city. By far the most amazing sight of my lifetime.
For everyone that commented of their families veterans construction workers I have respect for their families for making the golden gate bridge a reality. My hat off solute and my respects to them all veterans workers.
And it still stands today; a tribute to the engineering and laborers of the time.
This bridge was designed without the aid of computers. No autocad. No hand held calculators.
@@theodorezatorski7168 to o
99.9 percent of people that ride over that bridge never pay a single thought to the design and construction of that bridge
@@kingsman3087 I am the 1 percent that does
THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN STEEL WAS REAL! 🦾🤖🦾🏗️
I’m from England but I love the Golden Gate Bridge, it amazes me how back then they built a bridge like that, also how much weight them two towers have to carry, beautiful
I've only driven over this bridge once about five years ago. It was an awesome experience.
Great bridge. Drove across in 2011. Incredible feet of engineering and construction.
What a great era. And a beautiful piece of architecture of course.
They said it couldn't be done! But in the true American "can do" spirit and through much hard work, they did it! Hauling the metal parts to the other side of the country to be constructed into that great bridge! All hail Joseph Strauss and all the incredible men who built it against all the odds. These are also the Great Americans, as much as Washington or the Founding Fathers.
The engineering that went into projects like this is incredible!
Just went to walk across this beautiful bridge on September 10, 2016!
I would
Man, I sure do take pride to be born and raised in the bay after watching this historic moment. Marvelous icon. I will remember these skilled workers whenever I drive over this bridge.
As an Ironworker, I worked one summer on the Golden Gate Bridge in the early 80’s.…an experience I’m proud to have garnered. As a retiree by then, I met Al Zampa who survived a fall from the GGB, making him a member of the ‘Halfway to Hell’ club. Today there’s another suspension-bridge across the Carquinas Straits in the North Bay, named in honor of Ironworker Al Zampa.
My Grandmothers brother Paul was an engineer at Phoenixville Steel and was on this project. I met him when I was 23..Wonderful Man!
I had the privilege of walking across this monumental structure when I visited San Francisco last November and let me tell you it is pretty awesome. The only thing I feel that is missing from it is a big huge stars and stripes on the top as a tribute to world class American engineering. Greetings from Ireland.
Mr. O'Brien, thank you so much for that.
My grandfather (31yo) and my mother (12yo) walked across the bridge on opening day. She loved to tell the story how they walked and she rode upon his shoulders to get across. One of her fondest memories. I'm glad she is gone and cannot see what that once beautiful city of her birth has turned into.
Did not know my home town of alameda was so involved in this spectacular project.
this is the third video i ve saw on building the golden gate bridge, i m still in awe of what they did back then, those guys had balls working at that height and in that weather over the bay, its coming close to 100 years that the bridge has been up, a testament to great building and great men
I was half expecting to watch,"From here to eternity" with the music at the start.
I am probably the only one looking at this through 2020 eyes freeking out. These men were fearless... I would be terrified. Also I loved the part where they were like " We take safety into mind, we have a net. It saved 19 people. We also have hard hats" To think those people would have just fell in the water without that sketchy net.
A lot of people DID fall to their deaths. Once a large piece of equipment fell off the track and sent through the net, taking 10 guys with it. Yes ... people died on this job. And impact at 75+ MPH pretty much assured they wouldn't survive.
I'M A 66 AND DEFINITELY ENJOYED THIS VIDEO... I WISH I COULD HAVE THANKED EVERY SINGLE MAN WHO BUILD THIS BRIDGE ESPECIALLY KNOWING IT ONLY TOOK 4 YEARS I WAS BLOWN AWAY UNBELIEVABLE THIS IS WHAT U DEFINITELY CALL HARD WORK . SO SO BEAUTIFUL
This feat of building, engineering, shows what mankind can accomplish when everyone works in harmony towards a common goal. I enjoyed reading some of the comments, just as much as the film itself. All added a personal touch. One thing I would've like to have seen is what initial bridge designs were turned down as well as over-engineered designs and proposals, because what they came up with. Is such an awe aspiring melding of esthetics, form and function.
Strauss took 3 years to study and imagine this feat. What a genius.
SAILESH RAMCHARAN That’s Total BS. Strauss was “the drawbridge king”, designed little bridges for small rivers, his original design was a hideous monstrosity. The suspension design was a concept of Leon Moissieff, modified and adjusted by Charles Ellis. Strauss’s biggest contribution was getting the Northern Cal counties to back the bonds.
@Jake Stockton He is correct, that's who he is. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge
@Jake Stockton Yeah, well, there are a lot of documentaries about Strauss and how he wasn't the main designer of the bridge. Do some research.
@Jake Stockton But you THINK you are.
@@hyliedoobius5114 Yup, and Leon had previous experience designing the Manhattan Bridge
Wow, that's very interesting. I never knew they had to bring all that steel in from Pennsylvania. This was quite a feat when you consider the Bay Bridge was constructed in parallel.
And over east on the Nevada-Arizona border a massive dam was being built across the Colorado River to impound what would become Lake Mead. Those massive jobs helped us recover from the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
I visited SF a couple times and never got the chance to drive over the bridge. I took one of those boat tours that went out in the bay and as the boat went closer to the bridge you're just left in awe of the shear size of it. I mean it's towering and colossal! It's just an amazing thing to see and hopefully one day I can actually take a drive over in one day.
I went under this beauty many times when I was in the Coast Guard. It's quite a sight when you're out in the Pacific and you finally spot it in the scope. It feels like you're home.
Love the challenges of engineers ( structural & civil )
This is one of best video on engineering. I'm from India and loved this work. Great respect to all the workers and laborers and engineers and builders and those injured and dead while working. If I was shown this video in 2009 before completing my High school I would aspire to become engineer. Very nice video.
I helped string the cables for a couple weeks but my time there was running short and I had to come back to my own time but I'm proud to have been a part of this magnificent project,I miss the friends I made there.
I would love to have been there on opening day of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a day when everything good seemed possible for this country. Will we ever see such a time again?
Wow that was an unbelievable piece of engineering work.
My Uncle was a deep sea diver on this Bridge and many others...
Carrie Your uncle was a mighty brave soul to be a deep sea diver in 1936. The tidal currents at the mouth of the bay are severe and equipment back then was very primitive.
I wish he had gone into detail how they secured the bases to the sea floor.
wow what an amazing feat of enginering for that time and is still standing through the test of time gotta have nerves of steel to work on a project like this back in the day .thanks for the history lesson airboyd
My Old Man was a Steel worker and so was I..... But we never worked on anything as stunning and as magnificent as this.... You need to give a lot of credit to the engineers and of course to the men in the workshops too. I just cannot give enough praise to all 'Can Do' people where so many will search endlessly to find every reason under the sun as to why things 'can't be done'... The world is full of those. No laminated and questionable grade cheap Chinese steel here for sure.
i was just there with the family, crazy how it only took 4 years to make! insanely massive bridge when your up close and personal
Great documentary, loved this. The commentary was second to none.
Growing up in Berkeley, one of my all time favorite activities is walking across that bridge. It is impressive not only because of its size, but the Art Deco architecture is extraordinary. Everything is so wonderfully thought out and designed, right down to the very cool light fixtures. When my own kids were old enough, I took them on a field trip to The City, and yes you bet, we walked across the bridge.
Everytime I visit San Francisco, my wife and I walk the the bridge over to Marin, climb up to the overlook on the NW side just to view and marvel at the structure, then we climb down to have ourselves a little picnic on the Marin side. Such a peaceful time. Then we take the stroll back to the Presidio.
Sounds so dreamy! I would LOVE to do that!! :)
Awe-inspiring Engineering.
Had a neighbor who, also, work on Golden Gate.. Tough S.O.B. but good heart.. Drank whiskey like a fish.. R.I.P
Fish don't drink whiskey.
@@davejones5640 Since you are obviously a Captain of Sarcasm, Let me re-word James' post for you... He drank like a fish & whiskey was his drink of choice. Does that help?
@@paulhudnall6460do you re-word all people who word their words incorrectly?
@@YesYouAreAbsolutelyCorrect I think you mean word sentences incorrectly... And no, this is my 1st time. Well, & 2nd time...
Paul, stop being a tit.
Im always in awe of the Feats of Engineering done with manual draftsman, slide rules and such.
friends who had lived in SF talked about the fog. I have driven across the Mackinaw Bridge in Michigan. The guys who build the metal forms are to me real heroes!
Amazing massive engineering feat, especially for it's era in he 1930s, what an exciting time that must have been to live in - but is still one of the most awe inspiring structures on the planet.
when this is amzing (and i agree with you) then what is about the pyramids the colloseum or any other historical construction :)
Alano Morito: A bridge tops them all because it connects worlds. Especially a bridge of this magnitude.
The Art Deco touches are also a big plus. An obscure residential architect named Irving Morrow and his wife designed all those cool features.
I wonder if a project like this could be done today? Materials, techniques, regulations. I would love to see a comparison of costs. Of course one “minor” detail could never be repeated, the fact that it was never done before! God Bless all involved and inspired.
2 years late..... Yes projects like these can happen ... Only difference is that is a bit much easier then it was back then....
I've been over it once...from Marin to SF...I remember being in awe as I looked up around the towers and seeing what I did see. I also walked about 2/3 out..my ex was cold or I would have gone to the center. It was a super cold July day too. My hats off to all who had a hand in building it...definitely need more 'Can Do' nowadays.
More credit should have been given in history to all of those who dreamed of, then designed and then built marvels in our Country from the high rises, to the railroads, to the bridges. Hard, hard and endless work was given for us to enjoy indeed human marvels. We should be proud forever.
Made in U.S.A. !!! Very impressive!!!!!
Jimmy Salcedo Awesome and groundbreaking civil engineering takes place in literally every nation on earth. Typically, the technologies that permit such marvels were envisioned and mastered in countries of Europe. Settle down there jingo!
Peter Yianilos come on man, give the USA some credit without crying about some other country doing the same
@@artysanmobile you're an asshole. 🖕🏻
@@artysanmobile I would say the most experiences these builders got from building of skyscrapers.
Yeah but the Oakland Span Bridge when it was damaged from the 1989 quake took 13 years to build - Thank You Former Governor Arnold for buying steel from CHINA... !!!
Marvellous!..and I think I'm clever when I put a shelf up!
I am amazed with the guys who build these bridges.
I'm from England and had the pleasure of visiting San Francisco back in 1999. Travel across the bridge and did a boat trip under it, truly awesome as I remember.
thank you for posting, we all need to remember our history, good and/or bad! You are appreciated.
No doubt Joseph Strauss was a brilliant visionary and a well accomplished civil engineer. The Golden Gate Bridge earned it's place among the other wonders of the world.
The entrance to the San Francisco Bay is so beautiful, and the bridge _enhances_ that beauty! It is as much an artistic marvel as an engineering marvel.
What a beautiful documentary. I work in aerospace but watching these skilled men was amazing. All that modular pre fab stuff was ahead of its time!
Greatest of engineering at the time. It was an amazing achievement.
Amazing what can be done with a vision, teamwork, and hard work!
All hail the working man through the ages, from Europe to America, they are the real backbone of civilisation. I’m not even American yet I’m very proud of this structure. Superb
That was one of the best films about the construction of a major project I've ever seen. The construction details go far beyond what you normally get and by the end you have a pretty good idea of the engineering and design. Why can't we make documentaries like this today?
The building of the foundation for the south tower could be an entire movie all on its own. This film didn't mention the fact that the construction was done underwater, but only initially. You can't pour concrete underwater. The mix proportions get messed up with too much water, no good. So the first project was to build a containment dam surrounding the footing, which rose all the way to the surface of the bay, where the water was then pumped out, leaving an open pit over 100 feet deep for the men to build the foundation inside. The footing had to be far below the bottom of the bay, so too the walls of the dam had to go down below the bay floor as well. Long story, but that was why the north tower was finished before the south tower was started, because it took all that time just to put the foundation down and raise the platform underwater, so the south tower would have something to stand on. It was a world class first for a structure built underwater (even though it wasn't literally underwater, because they had open air to work in, protected from the surrounding water by a temporary dam made of sheet metal). This is why the naysayers were howling that it was impossible, but the American engineers didn't let negativity stand in the way; they knew what materials could do, so they just did it, while everyone outside complained. Interesting. Today, the whiners are the ones in charge, making the laws and ruining the state.
Built without a single ounce of Chinese steel in it.
No wonder it's still standing after 81 years. Every man who worked on building it has died, and it lives on.
Mr. Ken Yet the demonRATS=ISIS members whine when President Trump says enough is enough and charges the Chinese tariffs. They have charged us tariffs for decades and now that we have finally quit being chumps for the Chinese the steel plants that have closed down are back in business and American manufacturing is back in business at least to a great degree.
C Johnson Pretty pathetic interjection of politics. I support the return of U.S. steel. It is a strategic requisite to regain more steel manufacturing capacity. But blaming our diminished capacity over a period of many decades on one political party is both dumb and incorrect. Both parties approved 'free trade', which for some time served us well. We extracted a LOT of resources from around the world at bargain prices. But, as these countries (China being only one of them) developed manufacturing capacity (with a lot of assistance from U.S. companies trying to reduce labor costs), it increasingly compromised U.S. jobs. Both parties were indifferent because the public welcomed the cheap goods. Many people still do - just look at Walmart and Harbor freight. The executives of major U.S. companies fostered foreign manufacturing, and both parties supported this. The U.S. consumer is also to blame, regardless of political party. I try to buy American and very rarely go to Walmart. But here is an example of the American consumer being more to blame than any political party. For a short term project, I needed a powered, handheld metal shear. I looked online at U.S. made shears. But, the Chinese made one offered at Harbor Freight cost about a quarter as much. For my short term project, I could neither afford the U.S. one nor needed what additional reliability it presumably provided. The unit from Harbor worked surprisingly well. The same analogy applies to most U.S. consumers. Another weakness that applies to both parties is a lack of governmental strategic thinking. The Korean government made it a strategic goal that they would dominate the LCD market. They initiated many incentive programs to achieve this. As a result, they completely dominated LCD manufacturing. Decades earlier, the same applied in Japan regarding cars, motorcycles, Cameras, electric motors. This is currently happening with regards to solar panel manufacturing and high speed rail from China. The government considered it strategically important. The result is that the U.S. is a minor bit player in solar and essentially non existent in high speed rail. These are instances where a purely free market may lose the initiative and the market. A smart, long term strategic initiative would be in areas such as fusion power plants, improved reverse osmosis function via. use of carbon nanotubes, researching cures for the ailments most affecting our healthcare expenses - cancer, Alzheimers, diabetes, etc. In contrast, the current administration's so called 'Clean Coal' push is an example of a losing strategic initiative. It is not 'clean', domestically it is increasingly economically uncompetitive, and it's value internationally will continue to diminish, especially given that 195 countries signed the Paris accord while, only the U.S., Nicaragua and Syria have not.
Trump will change that
@@gregparrott Well, Mr. Sanctimonious, say whatever you want, but it's the Democrats that have pretty much made California the 3rd world shithole it's become. I live here and have a front-row seat to watching these corrupteers run the state into the ground like they did Detroit, Gary, Indiana, and God only knows how many more that we DON'T know of. They run this state unchecked and can do whatever the hell they want...and do. San Francisco's become one big biohazard with people openly shitting on the sidewalks, hypodermic syringes strewn about...a real wonderland. They've had the Governorship, the State Senate, and the State Assembly for years. Now I WILL grant you that this may not be the place to bring it up, BUT having said that, Johnson DID make his comment relevant to what the video's about (construction materials of the Golden Gate Bridge). So chide Johnson all you want, that's your right, but it's also my right to tell you that he's absolutely correct, and it's people like you who bitch about it that some people are afraid to say what needs to be said. Maybe one day (though I'm not holding my breath), people will grow the hell up, pull their heads out of their asses and quit voting for these aging hippie utopian socialists, but again, I'm not counting on it. Heaven knows the Republican party isn't perfect, and I never claimed they were, but even you have to admit if you have a shred of intellectual honesty (unless you're one of the leftists who keeps voting for these jackals) that the Republicans are the far better party of the two, and given the choice, there's no way in HELL I would EVER vote for a Democrat. I've watched way too many of them damage or outright destroy things.
Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer for the Golden Gate Bridge, and Leon Moisseiff was the designer who made this bridge. He has been a designer for the Manhattan Bridge which was the first bridge in New York City built in 1909. He went on to designed other bridges until 1940 when the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge (aka Galloping Gertie) ended in a tragic disaster.
I thought the Brooklyn Bridge was the first in New York City...in the 1880s.
Yep, the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883. It was the first over the East River.
Penny Enicks Then it looks like Musicradio77 needs to do a little more thorough fact checking.
What a beautiful play ground that was. As a retired union pipeliner I really appreciate this video.
Fascinating 🌁..and the men that built this...so brave.
Watching some of these old scenes makes my hands sweat like crazy. Our Grandfathers had way bigger balls than our entire Generation.