George Washington Bridge ca. 1970]

When built, the "GWB," as it is familiarly known, was the longest suspension bridge in the world, with a span more than twice that of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey, previously the longest. By 1977, it had fallen fourth place in length but was still the strongest.

Although a Hudson River crossing had been discussed since the late 19th century, the site at 179th Street in Manhattan and Fort Lee in New Jersey, where the river is narrowest, was agreed upon only after bi-state public commissions were organized in 1910. The estimated expense of the original bridge plan, into which railroad capacity had been factored, then proved an obstacle. By restricting his design to vehicular traffic, however, Othmar H. Amman made the project feasible.

The bridge, bearing Amman's trademark simplicity, was completed eight months ahead of its scheduled June 1932 opening. Architect Cass Gilbert's original plan called for granite sheathing on the towers, but this was eliminated as a cost-cutting measure after the 1929 stock market crash. However, the result was aesthetically pleasing and viewers gradually learned to admire the monumentality of steel as well as of stone.