Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
We have many bridges in Washington State, some unique and one of a kind. The one below is perhaps the most famous, infamous describes it best, not this one, but the first one, years ago.
We love crossing the bridge on our way to the Olympic Peninsula, though maybe not on a windy day.
The original bridge became known as ‘galloping gertie,’ when a few months after it opened in 1940, it began a wild dance in the wind before crashing into the waters below.
Engineering lessons learned, hopefully.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
I’ve seen that video many times, that was a terrible day! I’m glad the engineers figured out why the bridge rocked left and right and eventually collapsed. I wonder if the original bridge was ever recovered from the bottom?
It’s a famous video. I believe the bridge is still there, under the water providing a nice home for sea creatures!
Oh, that’s very good!!
There’s such a thing as being in the wrong place at the wrong time!
Truly! Fortunately, there was no loss of life. Except for a poor dog. 😦
OMG! How scary that would have been to be on it at the time.
Truly! Fortunately, all got off in time without any loss of life (except for a poor dog.)
That is amazing that there was no loss of human life. Sad about the dog though.
That collapse is something everyone learns about growing up in the area…legendary!
Exactly! I think about it when we cross it, a few times a year. And it always shows up on history channels, as a major engineering fail!
I hope the new bridge is much more stable! Still a warning of high winds would make me reconsider crossing!
The new bridge opened in 1950, and a second span added in 2007, both safe! The 1940 bridge was a classic engineering fail, that changed how bridges were designed. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the 1940 collapse (except for a poor dog.)
Wow! That was fortunate that everyone was able to get off the bridge – the movie showed a car…
I think there was enough time for everyone to get off. I think the poor doggie was in the car. 😦
Too bad… 🐾💔
Ah, Galloping Gertie was a classic! I liked driving over the current version. Sometimes it was quicker to go around that way than to take the ferries.
Yes! I still see it in documentaries of engineering fails. The new bridge is very handy, we take it regularly to the Olympic Peninsula, and I’m always intrigued by it.
I’ve seen that footage of the bridge in the past but hadn’t made the connection with the location! The replacement bridge is very attractive and I like your foreshortened images of it showing above the trees.
Yes, it’s famous footage, and continues to show up on documentaries of major engineering fails! The current bridge is less than an hour south of us and we take it several times a year on our way to the Olympic Peninsula. I am always intrigued by it!
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