Excerpt
Chapter 1: The Golden Gate Before the Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world, but before it was built, there was no easy way to get across the water. The body of water the bridge spans is called the Golden Gate Strait, and it has been around for thousands of years—long before cars, boats, or even people arrived.
The Golden Gate Strait is the narrow passage of water that connects the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay. On one side is the city of San Francisco, and on the other side is Marin County. It’s about three miles long and just over a mile wide, but don’t let that fool you. The currents are strong, the water is deep, and the weather can change quickly. Cold fog rolls in from the ocean, covering everything in thick mist, and the wind can be fierce. Early explorers quickly realized that while the strait was beautiful, it was also unpredictable.
Before it had a bridge, getting across the Golden Gate wasn’t easy. The land on both sides was rugged, covered in steep cliffs and rocky shores. The water was too rough for swimming, and the only way to cross was by boat. But even that wasn’t simple.
Long before San Francisco became a busy city, the Ohlone people lived in the area. They used canoes to travel through the bay, fishing and gathering food along the coast. Later, Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s, sailing through the strait and into the bay, where they built missions and settlements. At that time, the strait didn’t have a name, but it was an important route for ships coming into the bay.
In 1846, an American named John C. Frémont gave the strait the name "Golden Gate." He thought it looked like a golden door leading to new opportunities, much like the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. This was during the time when people were heading west to explore new land, and a few years later, in 1848, gold was discovered in California. That’s when thousands of people rushed to San Francisco, hoping to find gold and get rich.
San Francisco grew quickly. By the 1850s, it was one of the busiest cities on the West Coast. Ships arrived from all over the world, bringing supplies and people who wanted to start a new life. The Golden Gate Strait was the only way for ships to enter the bay, and it became one of the most important waterways in the country.
But there was still a problem. There was no way to easily travel between San Francisco and the land to the north.
How people traveled across the bay before the bridge
Before the Golden Gate Bridge was built, crossing the bay wasn’t as simple as driving across in a few minutes. People had to rely on the water. For centuries, the only way to get from one side to the other was by boat. Whether it was a small wooden canoe or a massive ferry carrying dozens of passengers, boats ruled the bay.
The Ohlone people, who lived in the region for thousands of years before Spanish settlers arrived, were some of the first to travel across the bay. They used tule boats—lightweight canoes made from bundles of reeds tied together. These boats floated well and were strong enough to handle the bay’s waters, though they weren’t built for long-distance travel across the Golden Gate Strait. Instead, the Ohlone mainly used them to navigate rivers, marshes, and calmer parts of the bay, fishing and gathering food along the way.
When Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s, they brought larger wooden boats and European-style ships. The Spanish built missions and settlements around the bay, but they didn’t need to cross the strait often. Most of their travel happened within the bay itself, moving supplies between small outposts and the larger settlement that would later become San Francisco.
By the 1800s, as San Francisco grew, the need for reliable transportation across the bay became more urgent. There were no bridges, no highways, and no tunnels—just miles of open water separating the city from the land to the north. At first, people crossed the strait in small rowboats and sailboats. These trips could be dangerous, especially when the weather was rough. The water near the Golden Gate Strait was unpredictable, with strong currents that could push boats off course. A sudden fog could make it impossible to see the shore, turning what should have been a simple trip into a risky journey.
As the city expanded during the Gold Rush of 1849, thousands of people arrived looking for a way to strike it rich. The population of San Francisco exploded, and soon, more people needed to travel across the bay than ever before. This led to the rise of ferry boats.
The first ferry services were small and privately operated. They carried passengers, goods, and even animals across the bay. These ferries were usually steamboats, powered by coal or wood, making them faster and more reliable than rowboats or sailing ships. They became an essential part of daily life.
By the late 1800s, larger ferry companies were formed, and ferries became a key part of the city’s transportation system. The Sausalito Ferry Company and the Tiburon Ferry Company ran regular routes between San Francisco and Marin County. People could board a ferry with their belongings, their bicycles, and even their horse-drawn carriages. As cars became more common in the early 1900s, ferries were designed to carry automobiles as well.
The Golden Gate Ferry Company, which started in 1920, ran the largest ferries on the bay. These massive boats could carry hundreds of passengers and dozens of cars at a time. The trip across the strait took about 30 minutes, depending on the weather and tides. People would line up at the docks, waiting to board, and once on the ferry, they could enjoy the fresh ocean air, watch the waves, and look out over the growing city skyline.
Ferries weren’t just for travelers. They were also used to transport goods like food, construction materials, and mail. Everything that needed to get from one side of the bay to the other had to go by boat. If ferries weren’t running due to bad weather or maintenance, people were stuck waiting.
By the 1920s, ferry traffic had become overwhelming. Thousands of people relied on ferries every day, and long lines of cars would stretch for blocks, waiting to board. The ferry system was reaching its limit, and the growing city needed a better solution. People began to talk seriously about building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait. Some thought it was impossible, while others believed it was necessary to keep up with San Francisco’s rapid expansion.
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world, but before it was built, there was no easy way to get across the water. The body of water the bridge spans is called the Golden Gate Strait, and it has been around for thousands of years—long before cars, boats, or even people arrived.
The Golden Gate Strait is the narrow passage of water that connects the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay. On one side is the city of San Francisco, and on the other side is Marin County. It’s about three miles long and just over a mile wide, but don’t let that fool you. The currents are strong, the water is deep, and the weather can change quickly. Cold fog rolls in from the ocean, covering everything in thick mist, and the wind can be fierce. Early explorers quickly realized that while the strait was beautiful, it was also unpredictable.
Before it had a bridge, getting across the Golden Gate wasn’t easy. The land on both sides was rugged, covered in steep cliffs and rocky shores. The water was too rough for swimming, and the only way to cross was by boat. But even that wasn’t simple.
Long before San Francisco became a busy city, the Ohlone people lived in the area. They used canoes to travel through the bay, fishing and gathering food along the coast. Later, Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s, sailing through the strait and into the bay, where they built missions and settlements. At that time, the strait didn’t have a name, but it was an important route for ships coming into the bay.
In 1846, an American named John C. Frémont gave the strait the name "Golden Gate." He thought it looked like a golden door leading to new opportunities, much like the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. This was during the time when people were heading west to explore new land, and a few years later, in 1848, gold was discovered in California. That’s when thousands of people rushed to San Francisco, hoping to find gold and get rich.
San Francisco grew quickly. By the 1850s, it was one of the busiest cities on the West Coast. Ships arrived from all over the world, bringing supplies and people who wanted to start a new life. The Golden Gate Strait was the only way for ships to enter the bay, and it became one of the most important waterways in the country.
But there was still a problem. There was no way to easily travel between San Francisco and the land to the north.
How people traveled across the bay before the bridge
Before the Golden Gate Bridge was built, crossing the bay wasn’t as simple as driving across in a few minutes. People had to rely on the water. For centuries, the only way to get from one side to the other was by boat. Whether it was a small wooden canoe or a massive ferry carrying dozens of passengers, boats ruled the bay.
The Ohlone people, who lived in the region for thousands of years before Spanish settlers arrived, were some of the first to travel across the bay. They used tule boats—lightweight canoes made from bundles of reeds tied together. These boats floated well and were strong enough to handle the bay’s waters, though they weren’t built for long-distance travel across the Golden Gate Strait. Instead, the Ohlone mainly used them to navigate rivers, marshes, and calmer parts of the bay, fishing and gathering food along the way.
When Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s, they brought larger wooden boats and European-style ships. The Spanish built missions and settlements around the bay, but they didn’t need to cross the strait often. Most of their travel happened within the bay itself, moving supplies between small outposts and the larger settlement that would later become San Francisco.
By the 1800s, as San Francisco grew, the need for reliable transportation across the bay became more urgent. There were no bridges, no highways, and no tunnels—just miles of open water separating the city from the land to the north. At first, people crossed the strait in small rowboats and sailboats. These trips could be dangerous, especially when the weather was rough. The water near the Golden Gate Strait was unpredictable, with strong currents that could push boats off course. A sudden fog could make it impossible to see the shore, turning what should have been a simple trip into a risky journey.
As the city expanded during the Gold Rush of 1849, thousands of people arrived looking for a way to strike it rich. The population of San Francisco exploded, and soon, more people needed to travel across the bay than ever before. This led to the rise of ferry boats.
The first ferry services were small and privately operated. They carried passengers, goods, and even animals across the bay. These ferries were usually steamboats, powered by coal or wood, making them faster and more reliable than rowboats or sailing ships. They became an essential part of daily life.
By the late 1800s, larger ferry companies were formed, and ferries became a key part of the city’s transportation system. The Sausalito Ferry Company and the Tiburon Ferry Company ran regular routes between San Francisco and Marin County. People could board a ferry with their belongings, their bicycles, and even their horse-drawn carriages. As cars became more common in the early 1900s, ferries were designed to carry automobiles as well.
The Golden Gate Ferry Company, which started in 1920, ran the largest ferries on the bay. These massive boats could carry hundreds of passengers and dozens of cars at a time. The trip across the strait took about 30 minutes, depending on the weather and tides. People would line up at the docks, waiting to board, and once on the ferry, they could enjoy the fresh ocean air, watch the waves, and look out over the growing city skyline.
Ferries weren’t just for travelers. They were also used to transport goods like food, construction materials, and mail. Everything that needed to get from one side of the bay to the other had to go by boat. If ferries weren’t running due to bad weather or maintenance, people were stuck waiting.
By the 1920s, ferry traffic had become overwhelming. Thousands of people relied on ferries every day, and long lines of cars would stretch for blocks, waiting to board. The ferry system was reaching its limit, and the growing city needed a better solution. People began to talk seriously about building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait. Some thought it was impossible, while others believed it was necessary to keep up with San Francisco’s rapid expansion.