Archive for the ·

Architectural

· Category...

November 20, 2012 10:37 pm

Golden Gate Bridge at Night

Golden Gate Bridge at Night

On the off chance there is anybody in the world who doesn’t know this location, this is the Golden Gate Bridge in a small city known as San Francisco California.

Buy picture this as a print or poster now!

The need to get across Golden Gate Straight had been identified as early as 1820. A ferry service served the area for decades, but talk of a bridge across the straight was the main topic for years. Experts repeatedly said it could not be done, but despite that, construction started on January 5, 1933. Construction lasted for just over four years, and the bridge opened to traffic on May 28, 1937.

(From WikiPedia) “The bridge faced opposition – including litigation – from many sources. The Department of War was concerned that the bridge would interfere with ship traffic; the navy feared that a ship collision or sabotage to the bridge could block the entrance to one of its main harbors. Unions demanded guarantees that local workers would be favored for construction jobs. Southern Pacific Railroad, one of the most powerful business interests in California, opposed the bridge as competition to its ferry fleet and filed a lawsuit against the project, leading to a mass boycott of the ferry service.”

Despite all this, the bridge has become one of the most iconic piece of architecture in the world. Numerous websites are dedicated to just pictures of the bridge, and it’s celebrated as a “free” and “must see” destination.

I’m personally partial to this view from the North side of the bridge. I haven’t had a chance to spend much time in Golden Gate National Recreation Area yet, but every time I’ve been through I’ve enjoyed it. Except for the road construction last time that made it impossible to go out to Point Bonita Lighthouse.

This picture was taken about 3am in the morning, with a ten second shutter speed.

tags: Golden Gate Bridge, night, San Francisco, Stars

1 comment...

September 22, 2012 9:52 am

White River Falls State Park, Oregon

no comments

by Rick in Architectural,falls,Water

White River Falls State Park, Oregon

By just about any measure, White River Falls State Park is one of Oregon’s “hidden gems.” Even though it’s fairly easy to find (turn at the Sherars Bridge Road just north of Tygh Valley on Highway 197,) it’s distance from Portland and it’s relative newness as a State Park make is still relatively unknown.

The site of the Waterfalls was donated to the State of Oregon in 1974 and initially known as Tygh Valley State Wayside. Until 2001 it was still a poorly maintained gravel road and parking lot with a rough trail down to the river, the view of the falls, and the remains of the powerhouse. Since then the path and parking lot have both been paved. A newer restroom has been built. Parts of the trail down the hill were paved to provide an easier walk to a good viewpoint of the falls.

Once you get a bit further down, the history behind this park immediately becomes evident.

In about 1902 the Wasco Warehouse Milling Company, built the dam and powerhouse to power its major mills in The Dalles, Oregon to the North. I can’t really figure out how this spillway factored into the falls as it’s at a right angle to the original falls. It looks like may have held back a smaller river that entered the basin here. Either way, part of the water from that spillway was gravity fed via pipes (the remains of which can be seen all the way down the hill,) to the powerhouse.

The Pacific Power and Light Company bought the dam in 1910 and operated it until The Dalles Dam was finished in 1957. It was totally abandoned in 1963 before being turned over to the State in 1974. Plans in the mid 80′s to rebuild the site with a larger turbine were eventually scrapped.

As you can see, there is a pretty interesting industrial feeling to things here.

This view of the channel below the falls tells an interesting story to Geologists, how the river cut through solid rock over millions of years.

Being only two hours from Portland, and an hour from Hood River, perhaps it’s better that this park remain unknown. The small parking lot realistically can’t hold many vehicles at one time, and too many people would ruin the park atmosphere and risk the buildings deteriorating further. Never the less, it’s a beautiful place to visit.