For centuries, explorers sought California’s legendary Cities of Gold along this rugged coastline. But they overlooked the entrance to the Golden Gate, one of the world’s finest natural harbors. Hidden by rocky shores and turbulent waters, its entrance remained elusive. Finally, a land expedition discovered it from nearby hills, 230 years after the first Spanish ship passed by. In the 19th century, the passage was aptly named the Golden Gate. Today, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge welcomes visitors to the bay, its massive span a testament to American progress and ingenuity.
Before the bridge’s construction, ferry boats transported thousands of commuters across the bay each week. Ferry operators fiercely opposed the bridge, but in 1930, San Francisco voters approved its construction. Engineer Joseph Strauss, inspired by the dream of creating the largest structure of its kind, designed a bridge that would become a symbol of American ingenuity. Spanning 1.7 miles with towers rising 746 feet above the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge was the world’s longest suspension span when it debuted in 1937. Its two main cables stretch 4200 feet from tower to tower, suspending the roadway and anchored at both ends of the bridge. Notably, the bridge was painted a distinctive reddish-orange hue to enhance its visibility in the fog that often envelops the bay.