Up Close & Peculiar With The Golden Gate Bridge

At Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in San Francisco, you can come face-to-face with a piece of history: an original section of suspension cable that once held up this global icon. But the story behind this cable isn’t just about steel; it’s about the overlooked engineer who made it possible.

An Impossible Dream

In 1919, many believed building a bridge across the Golden Gate Strait was impossible. The waters were deep, the currents powerful, and the winds unpredictable. But engineer Joseph Strauss was determined. After a decade of lobbying and designing, he finally won approval in 1930 to start construction on what would become one of the most famous bridges in the world.

The Forgotten Engineer

Strauss brought on Charles Alton Ellis, a brilliant mathematician and engineer, to help turn his dream into reality. While Strauss craved fame, Ellis was consumed with perfecting the technical details.

Believe It or Not!, Ellis didn’t even have an engineering degree when he first conceived the design. Yet he worked tirelessly, often 70-hour weeks, refining calculations and ensuring the bridge could withstand the forces of nature.

But Strauss grew frustrated with Ellis’s obsession over details. In 1931, he sent Ellis on “vacation” and then told him not to return. Even after being dismissed, Ellis continued sending design notes to the team, though his contributions went unrecognized.

A Historic Moment

When the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937, it was hailed as one of the greatest engineering achievements of the century. Tens of thousands celebrated, but Ellis was nowhere to be found. His name was left off the project entirely.

It wasn’t until 1949, in an obituary, that Ellis finally received credit for his crucial role in the bridge’s design. Today, historians recognize him as the true structural genius behind the Golden Gate Bridge.

See It for Yourself

A piece of the bridge’s original suspension cable that once held up this global icon is now on display at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! San Francisco . Come see this incredible artifact and uncover the unbelievable story of the forgotten engineer who helped make the impossible possible.