Minneapolis native Leroy S. Buffington was awarded a patent in 1888 for iron-building construction. Because of this patent, Buffington claimed to be the father of the skyscraper.
View patent: USPTO | Google
the home insurance building wasnt a steel "frame" building. without the masonry the steel would be unable to remain standing. The iron was simply imbedded in the masonry as reinforcing.
in 1886 the first steel framed skyscraper was already opened in Chicago if I recall. Ten stories high, with building construction paused due to fears that it wouldn't hold. It was the Home Insurance building, erected 1884-1885, architect William LeBaron Jenney.
I'd love to see some shots of Chicago of that era, as well as Chicago of 1777 (the time of the Great Railway Strike) if someone has some.
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the home insurance building
the home insurance building wasnt a steel "frame" building. without the masonry the steel would be unable to remain standing. The iron was simply imbedded in the masonry as reinforcing.
"Father of the Skyscraper" - maybe not
... 1888 would be a few years late,
in 1886 the first steel framed skyscraper was already opened in Chicago if I recall. Ten stories high, with building construction paused due to fears that it wouldn't hold. It was the Home Insurance building, erected 1884-1885, architect William LeBaron Jenney.
I'd love to see some shots of Chicago of that era, as well as Chicago of 1777 (the time of the Great Railway Strike) if someone has some.
- Ron
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