maggie in a recent post asked 'why is it called the golden gate bridge when it is not actually golden?' well this was an excellent question and i set out to find the answer. here it is-
the golden gate bridge is named for the Golden Gate Strait, which is the entrance to the san francisco bay from the pacific ocean and is approximately three-miles long by one-mile wide. the strait was named "Chrysopylae", or "Golden Gate" in 1846 by Captain John C. Fremont of the topographical Engineers of the U.S. Army. it reminded him of a harbor in Instanbul named "Chrysoceras" or "Golden Horn". we stayed in a hotel on the Golden Horn when we were in Turkey and it is similar to the strait leading into the san francisco bay, so i would say it is aptly named. anyways, the name of the bridge has nothing to do with its color but instead with the name of the strait it crosses.
further info- it's painted an "international orange" because a) that color blends well with the warm colors of the land and b) it is easier to see for passing ships
for this information and more see goldengatebridge.org
thanks for your question maggie, i feel smarter now!
3 comments:
thoroughly researched and well presented answer to my question! love the personal connection to the 'golden horn' strait. thanks for answering this musing for me :)
I love informative posts! I think someone told me once that it is continuously being repainted to keep its color. Craaazy
excellent work! i feel smarter too!
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