It costs a dime to look through this Bausch and Lomb high power telescopeLibrary of Congress Prints & Photographs Division
Zoom In Inquiry
Woolworth 1912 zoom in
US 7 – The emergence of modern America (1890-1930)
What do you see here?
What kind of a building would this
be?
What kind of a place is this?
What kind of work would be
done in an area like this?
What kind of buildings are
these?
How would these buildings
be made?
What materials would be used
in making these
structures?
“Woolworth bldg. iron work, made April 4th, 1912” LC-USZ62-78042
(b&w film copy neg.)LC-USZ62-100973
(b&w film copy neg.) Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs
Division
“View of Woolworth
Building and surrounding buildings, New York City ” 1913. LC-USZ62-127214 (b&w film copy neg.) Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Division
Compare this city of 1912 to the city of 1870…
1870
New York City by 1912
Let’s review… • These taller buildings—skyscrapers—
were possible because of:
–Steel• mass produced by American factories
–Elevators• allowing for people and things to travel
up these tall buildings without having to use the stairs
Steel—a building’s skeleton
Steel—a building’s skeleton
Elevators—a
building’s circulatory system…
Elevators—a
building’s circulatory system…
• What progress have we seen over the years in building construction?
Sources:
• “View of Woolworth Building and surrounding buildings, New York City ” 1913. LC-USZ62-127214 (b&w film copy neg.) Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.
• “Woolworth bldg. iron work, made April 4th, 1912” LC-USZ62-78042 (b&w film copy neg.) LC-USZ62-100973 (b&w film copy neg.) Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Sources:
• The city of New York. Currier & Ives, 1870. G3804.N4A3 1870 .C8. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division
• New York skyscrapers from
Jersey City. c.1910. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Sources:
• [Two construction workers looking up toward the camera, sitting on a steel beam atop the frame of the One LaSalle Street building] 1929. DN-0089666, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.
• [Construction workers standing on steel beams at the construction site of the Chicago Daily News building] 1928. DN-0085723, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.
Sources:
• [Cook County Hospital, Charles Moore, elevator operator, standing in elevator door]. 1911. DN-0056446, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.
• [Uniformed man in elevator] 1929. DN-0087942, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society.