The Ballard Bridge in Seattle, Washington, has gone through a few transformations. The bridge was originally constructed out of wood in 1917. But as more Americans acquired automobiles, the bridge’s structure needed to be rethought. Two decades later the bridge was reinforced with steel and concrete, re-opening in 1940. The Seattle Archives have released footage of the Ballard Bridge’s reconstruction and there’s something going on here that you’re gonna want to see.

The entire film is about 30 minutes long. We would recommend watching it all, if you have the time. But our favorite part occurs 20 minutes in. You have to see what the workers do after they heat up the red-hot spikes they’re building the bridge with.
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