What did the people of San Francisco think of the building of the Golden Gate Bridge when it was built?

Question

I can't find anywhere if people were happy about it, etc.

Please help!

Answer 1

Everyone except the ferry owners

Answer 2

Ferry companies didn't want it, for obvious reasons. The military and lots of international trading companies didn't want it because they thought it would interfere with ships. Many citizens didn't want it because it seemed too expensive and too impractical (note: this was in the 1910s and 1920s, when cars were still pretty rare... so the bridge wouldn't do most people any good and wouldn't be any quicker than a ferry). Also, since the Bay is so deep and has such unpredictable tides, the logistics of building a bridge that's secure and could be maintained, etc... was a concern, as was it's stability in wind and dangerous/forceful tides (as the Bay's VERY windy and the entrance has some of the most treacherous tides in the world - tough for workers). The approval and eventual construction was largely due to lobbying by Ford and other car manufacturers who wanted to create a car friendly world.

Likewise, the initial designs were largely impractical and WOULD interfere with ships, etc...

So... most people thought it was a horrible idea and didn't support it. If not for automobile companies lobbying and unions wanting the work, it probably wouldn't have been built. But it was. And I don't think anyone really hates it now (the Bay Bridge, on the other hand... oi!). It's almost always under work of some sort, though... usually just small maintenance, though.

Answer 3

the bridge was built between 1933 and 1937 - opened for public use in May 1937. San Franciscans were traveling to the Russian River and other Northern destinations for vacations and seemed to be happy to have an easier way to get there. My Uncle worked on the bridge construction as a young man.

The press was it's usual cynical self ...

ON OPENING DAY IN 1937, HOW DID THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE REFER TO THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE?
A thirty-five million dollar steel harp!