When photographed both the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge are admired for their architecture.  While scrolling through pictures on Flickr it became apparent that the Golden Gate Bridge is admired for its color and how it appears in the bay.  On this specific website there were no photographs that were taken on the bridge itself, always from a distance.  On the other hand, there were many more photographs of the Brooklyn Bridge from a pedestrian’s point of view, the many different cables on the bridge create very interesting photographs.  From looking at the photographs of the two bridges, the Golden Gate Bridge appeared to symbolize a gateway to either the bay or the ocean on the other side.  When looking at the Brooklyn Bridge it seemed that the connection of two important cities was the main focus.

The Brooklyn Bridge, having opened in 1883, was very sturdy for its time.  Roebling had designed the bridge to be stronger than it needed to be because the science of bridge building had not been figured out yet.  I think that if the science had been better during the developing we would not have the iconic bridge, with many cables and huge towers, that we do today. In comparison to the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge is just as breathe taking but much sleeker.  The opening for the Golden Gate was just over 50 years later, and engineers began to have a greater understanding of bridges.  It was designed to be more flexible, to withstand the wind it would encounter.  Had the bridge been built at the same time as the Brooklyn Bridge it is possible that the design would have been bulkier and not as iconic.

Both bridges have had minimal changes through the years, none of them effecting the overall appearance.  By both New York City and San Francisco deciding to keep their historical images they are appreciating their city’s past, and our country’s past.  Even being on opposite sides of the country both cities are places of innovation and change, but they know it is important to celebrate history and to be proud of what came first.

1. Reading through the information on both bridges it seems as if they are both suspension (cable) bridges. Both designed to withstand wind, and allow movement. The Brooklyn Bridge is classified as Neo-Gothic style and has beautiful archways. It looks very old and classic. The Golden Gate Bridge looks more modern and has become iconic due to its orange paint color. I found very interesting that one of the reasons they painted it this color was for it to be more visible when fog is present. It seems that would be an obvious reason, but I didn’t even think about that until it was mentioned. Both bridges are exposed to harsh weather, but the weather can vary due to the different locations; New York and San Francisco. New York has four seasons and experiences snow, heat, wind and rain. San Francisco doesn’t usually encounter snow but has dense fog, high winds and rain. Both cities are coastal and can experience hurricanes and earthquakes. Both bridges are depicted iconically in photos that I saw online. I have never seen either of these bridges in person, but looking at photos they seem enormous. I would be intimidated to drive across either of them! It is also common to see these bridges in movies and t.v. shows because they are so well known and respected.
2. The Brooklyn Bridge was built in 1883 and took years to complete because they obviously did not have the technology and equipment we have today. After looking at early photos of this bridge being built, I couldn’t help but think how dangerous it must have been to have been involved in the construction (cables, painting) as a worker. One thing I found fascinating about this project is the engineer (designer) John Roebling sustained a foot injury and decompression sickness during the early stages of the project and had to supervise from an apartment overlooking the bridge. But even more interesting is that he had his wife help by running information back and forth from the job site and she eventually helped their son oversee the construction. I wonder what that was like for her? As a women in the late 1800’s was she respected? The Golden Gate bridge was built in 1937 by Joseph Strauss (and many other engineers). This was much later in time compared to the Brooklyn Bridge, so I wonder if there was better technology available to them? Before construction began it seemed as if there was a lot of opposition from government and the Navy to build it. One piece of information that stood out to me is that during the build of the Golden Gate bridge, Joseph Strauss innovated safety nets to catch workers if there was an accidental fall. It seems this would have been a safer work environment than that of the Brooklyn Bridge.
3. Both bridges are still standing today because of the quality of construction and ingenuity of the engineers and designers of both projects. Both cities are very proud of these accomplishments and have worked hard to keep the bridges open and safe to drive on.