Golden Gate Bridge
Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge proved to be the ultimate challenge. It required the tallest towers, the longest, thickest cables ever built--and the largest underwater foundation piers, which were sunk into the violent, pounding waters of the open sea. The bridge connects San Francisco to the surrounding Northern counties, and continues to be the symbol of the impossible becoming possible.

• Around 600,000 rivets were used to build each tower.
  
• 17 ironworkers and 38 painters constantly maintain the bridge.
  
• 2003 tolls: Southbound, $5; Northbound, free.

Golden Gate Bridge History
www.mapwest.com/web_cam/htdocs/gg

Golden Gate Official Site
www.goldengatebridge.com

Empire State Building
The Empire State Building was a race between two auto giants to build the biggest building in the world. The Empire State Building succeeded by only four feet. The construction is an American inspiration, completed during the height of the Depression and in record time.

• Number of steps: 848 from bottom to top.
  
• At 102 stories, the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the first tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan in 1972.
  
• Construction of the Empire State Building began in March 1930 on the site of the old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. It was completed 14 months later in May, 1931.
  
• Cost including land: $40,948,900.
  
• Cost of building alone: $24,718,00.
  
• Painting the Needle requires 2,000 gallons of paint.
  
• There are roughly 10 million bricks in the Empire State Building.

Empire State Building
New York City
Fifth Avenue at 34th Street
Admission: Audio tour, $5; adults $11; youth (12-17) and seniors, $10; military in uniform, free.
212-736-3100
www.esbnyc.com/index2

Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright
Falling Water, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, resurrected the man's career and has gone on to become the blue print by which many American homes are built today.

• A Time magazine cover started its fame.
  
• Built from 1936 to 1938 at a cost of $150,000.
  
• Concrete cantilevered terraces seem to float above the river and shallow falls.
  
• Now a museum, Falling Water is 50 miles from Pittsburgh in Bear Run, Pennsylvania.

Images of Falling Water
www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/wrightpa