May 3, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO - Did you know that the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is older than the chocolate chip cookie?

Both beloved American icons date back to the 1930s--the American Institute of Steel Construction’s second decade.

AISC has released an interactive timeline that highlights important milestones of the 1930s, putting the history of America’s steel industry into the context of world history and scientific innovation. Visit aisc.org/1930stimeline to learn things like:

• The Chrysler Building is older than canned beer.

• The Empire State Building is older than Donald Duck.

• The George Washington Bridge is older than the gas tax. 

• The Golden Gate Bridge is older than Spam.

• The Lincoln Tunnel is older than the minimum wage.

“The 1930s represent a remarkable moment for steel design and construction across America,” said AISC President Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD. “The domestic steel industry is very proud of what our forebears achieved from sea to shining sea during this decade, from iconic skyscrapers in New York to instantly recognizable landmark bridges in California. We salute them for creating a remarkable legacy that carries forward through what today’s design community and construction industry create.”

This is the second in a series of interactive timelines that are part of AISC’s centennial celebrations. Each timeline examines a decade in detail, weaving the history of steel and amazing steel structures into the broader history of the world. They’re an engaging way to explore the past. To see this, and all of our timelines, vist aisc.org/legacy.