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American History

20 Incredible Photos of the Construction of the Empire State Building

Lunch atop a Skyscraper - Empire State Building
Construction of the Empire State Building by photographer Lewis Hine. Pinterest

Workers taking a break from construction. raredelights
Structural worker on a steel girder during the construction of the Empire State Building in 1930. raredelights
The very top of the Empire State Building, more specifically the steel, aluminum and glass-made spire. raredelights
This spire was initially designed to be used as a mooring station for various aircraft, but the severe winds that are present at that particular altitude canceled the possibility of airship docking. raredelights
Photographer Lewis Hine was commissioned to document the process. He desired to capture the character rather than just architecture. 6sqft
Waiting for some scaffolding. iparkatasztrofak
Workers on loose scaffolding. Pinterest
NYC. Manhattan. Construction of the Empire State building. 1929 – 1931. Pinterest
Break during the construction of the Empire State Building. Pinterest
Working on an I-beam. Pinterest

 

Sources For Further Reading:

ThoughtCo – All About the Empire State Building

6 Square Feet – The Wild And Dark History Of The Empire State Building

History Channel – 10 Surprising Facts About the Empire State Building

Warburg Realty – The Battle To Be The World’s Tallest Building

Slate – A Tale of Two Skyscrapers

The Sun – Historic Snaps Show The Terrifying Conditions For Empire State Building Construction Workers In The 1930s

Empire State Building Tragedy:

History Collection – A Plane Crashed into the Empire State Building

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