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Featured Collection
The Marin History Museum’s collection continues to grow due to the generosity of members, private collectors and the community at large. The MHM staff is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the museum’s artifacts and history for the educational benefit of its community. In Featured Collection we profile an artifact or group of artifacts that we think deserve special attention for their importance in the county's history.
Bullard, construction "Hard Hat"
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Object name:
Object number:
Donor:
Date:
Size:
Material:
Description:
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Bullard, construction
"Hard Hat"
2000.3
James A. Wilson
1935-37
11.75 x 9.5 x 5.5 inches
Canvas/cotton, glue,
black paint, (possibly
leather)
An authentic Bullard designed and manufactured "hard hat" worn by a worker during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
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Related History:
The Golden Gate Bridge is widely regarded as having a number of "firsts" in
its design, engineering, and construction methods. One innovation not so
popularly known is that it was America's first designated "Hard Hat Area" construction site.
Joseph B. Strauss, chief engineer for the construction project contacted the San Francisco safety hat
manufacturing company Bullard, to design a unique construction safety helmet for his workers.
Of particularly concern was the risk of dangerous falling rivets by the hundreds of men securing
mammoth steel girders throughout the area. The Bullard Company, which is still a leader in the
safety gear industry, was founded in 1898 to make protective equipment for men working in the gold
and copper mines of California, Nevada and Arizona. The company not only designed and made this
unique "Hard Boiled Hat" (a nickname coined by workers for a step in the manufacture process) for
the Golden Gate Bridge workers, but also special respirators to be worn by those performing duties
such as sandblasting the raw steel and painting the bridge.
This very important artifact was donated to the Marin History Museum in 2000 by Marin County resident
James Wilson, who noted it was acquired directly from a man who wore it while performing his duties
constructing the bridge.
For more fascinating stories and authentic objects relating to the Bridge's 75th anniversary please see
the Marin History Museum exhibition entitled: The Golden Gate Bridge: An Icon That Changed Marin, which
is now on view at the Boyd Gate House.
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Adopt an Artifact!
The Marin History Museum is the proud steward of over 20,000 artifacts and 200,000 photographic images from Marin County’s rich history. Funding for preservation of these historical treasures is provided exclusively through membership and private donations from supporters like you.
The following urgent collections projects have been delayed until funds are available for their completion. Donations of any size may be targeted to specific goals by identifying them in the memo space on your check.
1. The cleaning, restoration, and re-framing of an important painting of Sir Francis Drake from the Golden Gate SF International Exposition in 1939. Estimate: $2,600
2. The cleaning and conservation of fourteen early daguerreotype photographs. Estimate: $800
3. Shelving units and a table for the Research Library to accommodate new acquisitions and visiting researchers. Estimate: $1,000
Please consider donating to preserve these historical treasures! Any amount is appreciated! And remember, donations are tax deductible.
Questions?
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