“The Man Who Built the Bridge”. That’s the powerful inscription you see at the Joseph Strauss Legacy Circle. This statue commemorates Joseph Baermann Strauss. He was the chief engineer of the Golden Gate Bridge. Installed in 2012, the Joseph Strauss Legacy Circle marked the bridge’s 75th anniversary.
Joseph Strauss was born in 1870 in Cincinnati Ohio. Growing up in an artistic family, he loved poetry. He initially hoped for a career in the arts. His mother was a pianist and his father was a painter. Though he never became a fine artist, he would help create one of the most famous bridges in the world.
At the University of Cincinnati, Strauss studied commerce and economics. He was a small man only five feet three inches tall. He developed a deep fascination with bridges.
Strauss was class president and class poet. In 1892, he presented a senior thesis. It was a proposal to construct an international railroad. This railroad would span the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia. Though unorthodox, his earnestness won over the audience.
After college, Strauss worked for several steel and iron companies. He then became principal assistant engineer for Ralph Modjeski. While working for Modjeski, Strauss developed his bascule drawbridge design. In 1904, he formed the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company.
Strauss was a prolific engineer. He constructed around 400 drawbridges across the U.S. He dreamed of building the biggest thing of its kind. In 1919, San Francisco’s city engineer approached Strauss. The engineer wanted to bridge the Golden Gate. Strauss campaigned tirelessly to build the bridge. He faced opposition from environmentalists and others. In November 1930, voters supported a bond issue for Strauss’ bridge.
Strauss alienated many people in his quest to build the Golden Gate Bridge. He minimized the work of Charles Ellis and Leon Moissieff. They resolved significant engineering challenges. Detractors blocked a statue of Strauss at the bridge plaza. His widow funded its creation in 1941.
During construction, Strauss felt unwell. He disappeared for six months. Rumors spread that he had a nervous breakdown. During this time, Strauss divorced his wife. He then married a young singer.
On May 27 1937 the bridge opened to the public. Strauss composed verse for the occasion. It was the last mighty task of his life. He moved to Arizona to recover. Within a year, he died of a stroke.
Here at the Joseph Strauss Legacy Circle a plaque reads. “The Man Who Built the Bridge.” It continues that here at the Golden Gate is the eternal rainbow. He conceived and set to form a promise. The race of man shall endure unto the ages.