Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives

Seventy-one years ago yesterday, “Galloping Gertie” galloped her way into the icy Puget Sound waters below. Dedicated on July 1, 1940, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge spanned the narrow section of Puget Sound that separates Pierce County from the Kitsap Peninsula.  With its two towers bridged by 2,800 feet of lightweight materials, the bridge was considered a true marvel of its time.

Too lightweight for its own good, however, the bridge would catch the wind blowing through the Sound and begin to gallop, earning the infamous nickname of “Galloping Gertie.”   Ultimately, the high winds of November proved too much for the bridge, causing the bridge to collapse only five months after its dedication on November 7, 1940.