The Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge was 70 years - old in 2007. It was the engineer Joseph Strauss who had the idea and drew up the first set of plans. He acquired the help of the architect Irving Morrow. Together with Leon Moisseiff who had designed the Manhattan bridge and another engineer Charles Ellis.
It was years after Strauss's initial plans that work finally began on the 5th January 1933. It then took four years to complete and cost over 27 million dollars. Nowadays it would be over a billion. During construction 11 men lost their lives. But 19 were saved by the safety net hanging beneath the bridge all away along. It was known as the Halfway Hell Club.
The bridge was for a number of years the largest suspension bridge in the world.
Its distinctive orange colour was chosen by Irving Morrow the warm colour blended well with the natural colours on the background. It is also visible to any ships that might be passing. Like many structures built during this time its design was influenced by the Art Deco period. The name comes from the Golden Gate Strait which is what Captain John Fremont in 1846 called the opening to San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean.
The Golden Gate Bridge has become a famous place to commit suicide; a huge number of people have sadly done so. Only a few of them ever survive the fall after hitting the water with such ferocity. Broken bones and serious injury are what will occur as a consequence. But the majority are internally grateful that they survived to tell the tale.
© Children's Web Magazine 2007

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The Golden Gate Bridge The Golden Gate Bridge was 70 years - old in 2007. It was the engineer Joseph Strauss who had the idea and drew up the first set of plans. He acquired the help of the architect Irving Morrow. Together with Leon Moisseiff who had designed the Manhattan bridge and another engineer Charles Ellis. It was years after Strauss's initial plans that work finally began on the 5th January 1933. It then took four years to complete and cost over 27 million dollars. Nowadays it would be over a billion. During construction 11 men lost their lives. But 19 were saved by the safety net hanging beneath the bridge all away along. It was known as the Halfway Hell Club. The bridge was for a number of years the largest suspension bridge in the world. Its distinctive orange colour was chosen by Irving Morrow the warm colour blended well with the natural colours on the background. It is also visible to any ships that might be passing. Like many structures built during this time its design was influenced by the Art Deco period. The name comes from the Golden Gate Strait which is what Captain John Fremont in 1846 called the opening to San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The Golden Gate Bridge has become a famous place to commit suicide; a huge number of people have sadly done so. Only a few of them ever survive the fall after hitting the water with such ferocity. Broken bones and serious injury are what will occur as a consequence. But the majority are internally grateful that they survived to tell the tale. © Children's Web Magazine 2007
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