Before the dehumidification system was installed in the 2000s, the Golden Gate Bridge required cable replacements more frequently. Suspended over the ocean and the bay, the bridge was constantly exposed to salty, humid air, which would condense onto the metal surfaces and gradually cause corrosion. The dehumidification system works by pumping dry air into the cables to prevent rust and extend their lifespan. As a result, cable replacement has become much less common.

This piece of cable is a section of the vertical suspension cable that was used on the bridge for about 40 years before being replaced in the 1970s. It now serves as a collectible artifact of extreme engineering. You may even find traces of the iconic International Orange paint still clinging to its surface.

When it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world. It is widely recognized as an engineering and architectural marvel and has been named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. As a suspension bridge, its roadway is supported by two towering masts and steel cables, stretching nearly one mile across the Golden Gate, a deep strait carved by glacial runoff during the last Ice Age.

As time goes on, original pieces of cabling like this one are becoming increasingly rare, since modern preservation methods have greatly reduced the need for replacement.