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Tacoma Narrows Bridge construction home movie, circa 1938-1940
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- Tacoma Narrows Bridge construction home movie
- Dates
- circa 1938-1940 (inclusive)19381940
- Quantity
- 3 reels (600 feet) : silent, color ; 8 mm
- Collection Number
- PH0837
- Summary
- Home movie footage of the construction of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. It also includes a newsreel clip showing the collapse of the bridge.
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The original reels are not accessible due to preservation concerns; however, a viewing copy is available and arrangements can be made to view the film by contacting the Visual Materials Curator.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant from Friends of the Libraries
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Victor Cecil Haner was born on January 10, 1901. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Engineering. Haner worked on the Green River Gorge bridge and the first floating bridge across Lake Washington at Seattle. Between 1933-1934, he worked on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, then moved to Portland, Oregon, to work on Bonneville Dam. Haner moved to Tacoma in 1938 where he worked under Clark Eldridge and was involved in the design of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
In 1939, Haner went to Panama to work on a proposed set of third locks for the canal. In 1940, he moved to Bellingham, Washington, to work as plant engineer of Puget Sound Pulp and Timber. In 1952, he was put in charge of the design, construction, and management of a new pulp mill at Ketchikan Pulp Co. in Ketchikan, Alaska. Haner retired in 1961 as vice president of Georgia Pacific Corporation and moved to Gooseberry Point on the Lummi Indian Reservation near Bellingham, where he lived until his death on August 18, 1968.
Historical BackgroundReturn to Top
The original Tacoma Narrows Bridge was 5,939 feet long, spanning the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound between Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula. At the time of its construction (and its destruction), the bridge was the third longest suspension bridge in the world in terms of main span length, behind the Golden Gate Bridge and the George Washington Bridge.
Construction began in November 1938 and was completed in less than two years. The bridge was nicknamed "Galloping Gertie," because of its swaying motion under windy conditions. On July 1, 1940, the bridge opened to traffic. Only four months later, the bridge collapsed on November 7, 1940, in winds of 42 mph (67 km/h).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Home movie footage of the construction of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge. It also includes a newsreel clip showing the collapse of the bridge.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the Special Collections division of the University of Washington Libraries for details.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| viewcopy | item | ||
| VC74 | 1 |
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Construction Home Movie
Construction of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge, including barges bringing materials and dropping caisson anchors into the Narrows, divers and surveyors working, men working with cement and riveting girders, men riding in a speed boat, and views from the top of the Narrows Bridge.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge Newsreel(producer: Castle Films). Newsreel about collapse of the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Original
3 reels (600 feet) : silent, color ; 8mm
|
circa 1938-1940 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Form or Genre Terms
- Moving Images
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Haner, Victor Cecil (filmmaker)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Moving Image Collections (University of Washington)
