On May 27, 1937 the Golden Gate Bridge was opened, and on that first day pedestrians were the only ones allowed. An estimated 200,000 came out, including a newlywed San Francisco couple who happened to be the parents of one of our Editors.
It cost a nickel to cross the Bridge that first day, but early on there were so many people that the coin machines jammed.
A few months before, at the opening of the Bay Bridge, thousands of people had spontaneously walked across the Bridge when it opened, snarling traffic. The Golden Gate Bridge officials turned the event into a big festival.
Bridge walkers were offered an array of souvenirs for the occasion, including an official hat with Mariachi-style tassels, some of which people appear to be wearing in the photo below. Although the Depression was easing a little by 1937, the Bridge was a bright addition to what for many people was a very dark time.
