Where is my Brick? —The Joseph Strauss Legacy Circle

The Joseph Strauss statue
Photo © Allan G. Smorra

The last echoes of the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge have faded away. A talented army of volunteers, supporters and Corporate Partners came together to make a memorable event unforgettable.

25 years ago a similar mission was underway to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. A major part of that celebration was the construction of a commemorative brick walkway financed by the sales of precision inscribed paving bricks.

Unfortunately, this walkway was removed on January 18, 2012. Construction of a new Bridge Pavilion building required that current Building Codes be met and the Conservancy, with the approval of the GGB, decided to remove the 50th Anniversary Brick Walkway.

Assurances were made to the people who purchased bricks that although the bricks could not be saved, the Bridge would implement “…several alternative measures to preserve the 50th anniversary bricks by other means”.

Update to the Demolition of the 50th Anniversary Brick Walkway at the Golden Gate Bridge

The removal of the commemorative bricks started today and it was a sad occasion for many employees and bridge visitors. Thousands of memories, stories and wishes were loaded into the back of a dump truck and disposed of as nothing more than rubble, a necessary byproduct of progress so that a new “visitor experience” can be constructed for this generation of Bridge Patron.

My heart goes out to the people who purchased these bricks. It is my understanding that the district is offering to send digital photos of individual bricks to anyone requesting them. A Google Earth application is also being developed that will show the pathway as it was before the demolition began today.

If you are interested in receiving a photo, send an e-mail to the district at info@goldengatebridge75.org and include any information you have about the individual brick.