The Golden Gate Bridge took 4½ years to complete, routes approaching it through the west side took many more. The first dream of spanning the Golden Gate Straits belongs to the railroad Robber Baron Charles Crocker in 1872. It took 44 years before the first bridge concepts were proposed in 1916 and additional 17 years before the official start of construction in January 1933. Following only 4 1/2 years of construction, the week long Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta was held from May 27-June 2, 1937 to mark the opening of the Bridge