Posted on 05/01/2025 9:08:04 AM PDT by DallasBiff
The Empire State Building, the 102-story skyscraper on Fifth Ave. between West 33rd and 34th Streets in Midtown Manhattan stands 1,454 feet tall. It was the world’s tallest building for 39 years from its completion in 1931 until the World Trade Center’s North Tower was completed in 1970. It has been named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Excavation of the site began on January 22, 1930, and construction of the building began on March 17. The project involved 3,400 workers, mostly European immigrants, as well as hundreds of Mohawk iron workers. Despite an astonishing lack of safety regulations, only five workers died during construction.
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Just have to say it took a lot of cajones for the workers to have lunch some 1,000 feet with no safety constraints at all. I know I couldn't do it.
Built in eighteen months, just like the Pentagon. The Freedom Tower took almost ten years to build.
Absolutely incredible!
In the middle of the Great Depression MEN built that building in under a year and a half while today it would take 4 to 5 years. We are pale imitations of our forbearers thanks to communist rent seeking bureaucrats gumming up the works for fun and profit.
Back when a dream was possible without having governments killing that dream
This is from “Up in the Old Hotel” collection of essays from Joseph Mitchell who wrote profiles of NYC published by the Nee Yorker way back when it was good
It’s a very interesting quick view of how the NYC skyline was really put together particularly how the Mohawks came down from Canada to help as they had an agility and fearlessness of the heights.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1949/09/17/the-mohawks-in-high-steel
I get queezy just looking at those pictures!
“Built in eighteen months, just like the Pentagon. The Freedom Tower took almost ten years to build.”
It took Texas DOT 3 years to put together a highway overpass near me. It was held up by a few cinder blocks for a couple of months
And it’s still a beautiful building. Was put together right. Good stone.
It is amazing that there were only 5 recorded falling deaths during the construction.
Yep.....At one point contractors added 14-stories to the superstructure in just 10 days. Incredible.
The Depression has taken hold. Me, I would have stayed on the ground and sold apples. I am terrified of heights.
That 1st photo on the beam is one of my favorites of all time! No pajama boys there I can guarantee
The Empire State building was built back in the day with REAL Steel.
Not that chincy steel that can melt with just a little aviation fuel.
Those men aren’t just in those daredevil poses they are doing hard muscle wrenching work from all kinds of angles and positions while dangling off those deadly heights, ballsy stuff.
“only five men died” we are a sex that takes it in stride that building and maintaining nice comfortable lives for our loved ones and society leads to some of us dying and getting injured during our 8-5 work days.
The guy on the far right looks like he’s holding a pint liquor bottle in his hand. That’s the only you would get me up there.
Look at what the guy at the far right is drinking!!
“Despite an astonishing lack of safety regulations, only five workers died during construction.”
And you didn’t hear non-stop backup beepers on every piece of equipment on the site making non-stop noise pollution. However did those guys keep from getting run over?
Oh, dear Lord. I don’t like heights and just cringe at the photo of all those guys sitting on that beam.
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