19. The First Skyscrapers and the Ironworkers Who Built Them
The skyscraper is a unique American concept which developed in the late 19th century. With the arrival of the steel-frame skyscraper a new breed of intrepid men appeared-- the “cowboys of the skies”. They were the structural iron workers who risked their lives connecting the steel beams– some no wider than 6 inches and hundreds of feet above ground to raise soaring towers and vaulting bridges. This is the story of those buildings and the “sky walkers” who transformed the American skyline. As archivist of Rockefeller Center Ms. Roussel is in an exceptional position to present this illustrated lecture which includes extraordinary construction images from the 1930’s. |