[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 77 (Friday, May 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E890-E891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 25, 2012

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary 
of the Golden Gate Bridge, a modern architectural marvel and a landmark 
that defines California and the West Coast. Since its opening on May 
27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge has stood as a symbol of human 
potential--a triumph of ingenuity, creativity, and progressive vision 
that complements the beauty of our natural surroundings and enriches 
life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  Since the Gold Rush first brought American settlers to the San 
Francisco Bay Area, residents have been interested in the idea of 
linking the Bay Area with a bridge spanning the Golden Gate. A single 
span would bring together the northern and southern halves of the 
greatest natural port on the West Coast, easing transportation and 
spurring economic growth across Northern California. For years, though, 
the task was considered too costly and too complicated to realize.
  By the 1920s, engineers had become more confident that technological 
advances made a fixed link feasible, and San Francisco City Engineer 
Michael O'Shaughnessy launched an effort to make the proposal a 
reality. In 1921, Joseph Strauss--later the Chief Engineer of the 
Golden Gate Bridge--submitted his first designs. After they were made 
public, communities on both sides of the Golden Gate began lining up 
behind the plan. Under the leadership of Santa Rosa businessman Frank 
Doyle, a public coalition formed in Sonoma County with representatives 
from across the North Coast, all pushing for the Strauss design. In 
1923, the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District Act, authored by 
Senator Frank Coombs of Napa, passed in the California Legislature. In 
1924, Marin and San Francisco Counties submitted a joint application to 
the War Department for permission to build on the federally owned 
headlands at each end of the strait. Permission was granted by the end 
of that year.
  In 1929, the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District met for the 
first time, with members from San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, 
Mendocino, and Del Norte Counties. Strauss was named Chief Engineer, 
and the Oakland-based architect Irving Morrow was appointed to consult 
on the final plans. Morrow would become famous for crafting a design in 
harmony with the rugged coast, balancing graceful Art Deco features 
with strong lighting and powerful lines. Morrow was also responsible 
for convincing authorities to accept the radical choice of painting the 
entire Bridge in the now-famous international orange.
  While the Great Depression deepened, work forged ahead. In 1930, 
casting aside fears that infrastructure was an unwise long-term 
investment, District voters overwhelmingly approved a bond measure 
using their own homes, ranches, and vineyards as collateral. By 1934, 
the first tower--the Marin tower--was complete. By 1936, both towers 
and the cable spinning were complete, and over 1,000 workers were 
employed in the construction. In April 1937, ahead of schedule and 
under budget, the Bridge was ready for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. 
The first to cross on foot was a young runner from Tamalpais High 
School in Mill Valley. The first to cross by car was none other than 
Santa Rosa's Frank Doyle, the business leader widely credited with 
uniting Northern Coast residents behind the endeavor.
  In the 75 years since its opening, the Golden Gate Bridge has borne 
witness to millions of lives, and to many changes in the Bay Area. The 
Bridge is a crucial route to work and school, a magnet for global 
tourism, and a center for recreation that links two jewels in the 
federal park system. It is a demonstration of American labor and 
engineering. It is a theater for advocacy and protest. For many 
soldiers sailing into the Second World War, it was their last memory of 
home. For new Americans emigrating from Asia and the Pacific, it is 
their first welcome to a new future. The Golden Gate Bridge is more 
than a modern wonder of architecture and engineering--it is at the 
heart of what it means to live in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in celebrating the 75th anniversary 
of the Golden Gate Bridge, and in thanking all those who have fought 
for, built, and stewarded the Bridge over the years. We also owe a 
special debt to the eleven workers who were killed and the many others 
who were injured in the course of the construction. The Bridge is a 
testament to their dedication and expertise,

[[Page E891]]

and it is a proud monument to the greatness that we can accomplish when 
we harness our collective energy and resources to better our future.

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