Golden Gate Bridge

As with most of the world’s wonders, many said that the Golden Gate Bridge could never be built – the span was too wide, the ocean too powerful and deep, and the cost too great. But to many more, the Golden Gate, the name John Fremont gave the splendid strait in 1844 (see John C. Fremont), demanded the realization of its dream bridge. In 1872, railroad tycoon Charles Crocker first conceived the idea, but it took a visionary engineer, Joseph Strauss, to put forth a realistic proposal in 1921. After 10 years of opposition from all quarters, funding was finally secured from A.P. Giannini, founder of the Bank of America (see A.P. Giannini). The bridge opened in 1937, and has been an emblem of San Francisco and America’s icon on the Pacific ever since.

415 921 5858 www.goldengate.org Cruises operate Mar–Oct