Why is the Golden Gate Bridge so beloved?
Some structures are useful. Some are beautiful. A very few become beloved. The Golden Gate Bridge belongs in that rare category. People do not travel from around the world simply to cross it. They come to see it, photograph it, walk across it, and stand in its shadow. Many never set foot in San Francisco without taking at least one look at those famous towers rising above the bay. Why? Part of the answer is beauty. The bridge combines grace and strength in a way few structures ever achieve. Its soaring cables create elegant curves. Its distinctive International Orange color glows against blue water, gray fog, and golden sunsets. Nearly every weather condition seems to make it more dramatic. But beauty alone does not explain the affection people feel. The bridge also tells a story. When construction began in 1933, many experts believed building a suspension bridge across the Golden Gate Strait was impossible. The winds were fierce. The currents were dangerous. The water was deep. Yet en...