Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Question: The Golden Gate Bridge’s iconic “International Orange” color almost didn’t happen. What color scheme did the U.S. Navy originally propose to improve visibility for ships?

Answer: Black and yellow stripes. The Navy pushed for a bumblebee-style pattern to make the bridge more visible in San Francisco fog, while the Army Air Corps favored red and white stripes for aircraft visibility. Consulting architect Irving Morrow rejected both in favor of ‘International Orange,’ inspired by the rust-colored primer already coating the steel.