Beautiful green bridge, but is it a work of art?
History of green bridges:
St. Johns bridge in Oregon is said to be the bridge that started the "green bridges". The two men who competed to build it were David B. Steinman and Conde McCullough. Both were bridge engineers who believed firmly in the aesthetic possibilities of bridges, and both were self-made men who rose from poverty to national prominence. The bridge was initially supposed to be striped black and yellow like a bumblebee.
Both men were bridge engineers who believed firmly in the aesthetic possibilities of bridges, and both were self-made men who rose from poverty to national prominence. But that’s where the similarities end.
Steinman saw himself as a visionary poet and artist. McCullough was a quiet intellectual whose curiosity led him to pursue a law degree by attending night classes.
Steinman was a prolific author who alienated his colleagues by publishing self-promoting autobiographical articles in engineering journals.
McCullough, on the other hand, wrote practical books on engineering and economics. Much of what we know about him comes from oral history interviews done by ODOT’s senior historian, Robert Hadlow. Hadlow describes McCullough as a clever man with a quiet sense of humor, who he’d “enjoy a conversation with.”
The two men submitted their contracts in 1928 for the St. Johns Bridge, which would span the Willamette River and connect Northeast and Northwest Portland. The selection process was controversial: Some wanted the bridge to be designed by a local like McCullough. Others wanted someone with a national reputation.
Ultimately, a committee chose Steinman. He was inspired by the hills and evergreens that surrounded Portland and wanted the bridge to match. The suspension-style that he ultimately chose included soaring Gothic arches topped with copper spires, which were intended to complement the “evergreen spires” on the trees around it. Steinman considered the bridge to be a work of art.
But representatives for the nearby airfield were worried they'd crash into it. They wanted it painted black with yellow stripes.
Steinman wouldn't have it, and neither would the Multnomah County commission. On March 17, 1931 (St. Patrick's Day, appropriately) it was announced that the St Johns bridge would be painted the redundantly-named "verde green." The decision to do so was fairly radical: at the time, almost all bridges were painted black or grey. There may have only been one other colorful bridge in the country at the time — the Steinman-designed Mount Hope Bridge in Rhode Island, which was also green.
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There is a small shoulder on the bridge, but it is probably best to park off the bridge and walk to GZ on the pathway. Park on the Southeast side of the bridge. DO NOT DROP the geocache. If you do, please climb down underneath the bridge and retrieve it. :) Also, the log is very small, so please, initials only. Thanks!
The hint is a dead giveaway. Don't read it unless you want to know exactly where the cache is and find it without effort.