Trivia Tuesday, September 2

Last week’s answer

Question: What was the Tacoma Narrows Bridge nicknamed after it collapsed in 1940?

Answer: Galloping Gertie

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapsed due to high winds on Nov. 7, 1940. It was built in Washington state the decade before and opened to traffic just four months before failing.

From the time the bridge deck was built, it moved vertically in windy conditions, so construction workers nicknamed it “Galloping Gertie.”

Spanning the Puget Sound from Gig Harbor to Tacoma, it was the third-longest suspension bridge in the world at the time at 5,959 feet. The structure was designed to be extremely flexible, but this turned out to be its downfall.

The only death in the collapse was that of a cocker spaniel named Tubby. A replacement bridge opened in 1950, although remains of the original structure are still at the bottom of Puget Sound. They form one of the largest man-made reefs in the world.

Sources: Washington State Department of Transportation, History.com