Description
Materials collected and arranged by the San Francisco Department of Public Works documenting the planning of the San Francisco-Oakland
Bay Bridge. Includes newspaper clippings, reports, hearings, correspondence, journals, construction proposals and engineering
plans, legislative documents, agreements, applications, contracts, resumes, boring and other technical data, blueprints, and
photographs. Bulk of the collection consists of proposals and engineering plans of bridge design, circa 1926, when over a
dozen proposals were being considered by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, though none were chosen as the final plan.
Documents were created by companies competing for construction of the bridge, their engineers, the San Francisco Board of
Supervisors reviewing the proposals, and the San Francisco Department of Public Works as represented by City Engineer M. M.
O’Shaughnessy.
Background
The San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW), launched in 1900, manages the design, building, and maintenance of city
streets and infrastructure. During the years of planning for a Bay Bridge, their role, through City Engineer M. M. O’Shaughnessy,
was collaborative with the Board of Supervisors, in selecting a site and plans. By 1926, over a dozen plans or proposals of
differing routes, design, and cost had been filed with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for review and selection. March
28, 1927, the Board of Supervisors created a board of independent engineers, with City Engineer M. M. O’Shaughnessy of the
DPW - to study and report on the bridge issue. All applications were rejected by the Board of Supervisors at a meeting on
July 31, 1928.
Extent
3 cartons
(3.0 linear feet)
Restrictions
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Availability
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with photographs available during Photo Desk
hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be requested 48 hours in advance.