Opening Day!

These photographs show scenes from the Opening Day Celebrations for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, on November 12, 1936. The top photograph shows the first public cars allowed across the bridge. The bottom left photograph shows former U.S. President Herbert Hoover addressing the celebrants near the Toll Plaza on the east end of the bridge, while the bottom right photograph shows then-California Governor Frank Merriam cutting the opening day "ribbon" (in this instance, a metal chain) with an acetylene torch.

Identification Information: Dept. of Public Works, San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Construction Photographs (F2516:1-93).
Top: First Cars over Bridge, 11/12/1936: Box 20 (C5230), photograph M-292.
Bottom left: Mr. Herbert Hoover, Toll Plaza, 11/12/1936: Box 20 (C5230), photograph M-284.
Bottom right: Govenror Merriam Cutting Chain, 11/12/1936: Box 20 (C5230), photograph M-287.