Golden Gate Bridge

Sometimes cool fog wraps around me like a soft, gray blanket. When the sun comes out, I glow like a brand new penny. I stretch my long arms way up high into the clouds, and my feet stand in the chilly water below. I am very long and very strong. My favorite color is a bright, sunny orange. All day long, cars, trucks, and buses tickle my back as they drive across me from one side to the other. I am the Golden Gate Bridge.

A long, long time ago, people in a city called San Francisco wanted a way to get across the big water. A very smart man named Joseph Strauss had a big idea to help them. On a chilly day, January 5th, 1933, he and many brave workers started to build me. It was a very big job. They built two tall towers that reach for the sky. They hung thick, strong cables from the towers that look like a giant, happy smile. They painted me a special color called International Orange. This bright color helps big ships see me even when it’s foggy outside. On May 27th, 1937, I was finally all done. Hooray. Lots and lots of happy people walked all the way across me for the very first time.

My very important job is to hold my arms out wide and connect the beautiful city of San Francisco to the green hills on the other side. Every single day, I help people get to their jobs, to their schools, and back to their homes. People from all over the world come to say hello to me and take my picture with their cameras. I love watching the little sailboats glide under me in the water and hearing the happy shouts of children visiting with their families. I am more than just a bridge. I am a bright, cheerful friend that helps bring people together.