A construction worker during the building of the Woolworth Building Manhattan's skyscrapers are symbols of the modern city. Surprisingly enough, they were built in part by New York's oldest residents. In the nineteenth century, Mohawk Indians began working as ironworkers, and developed a tradition of being fearless and adept at walking on "high steel." In New York, working hundreds of feet in the air -- on girders narrower than a diving board -- thousands of Mohawks helped hammer and drill and weld the New York skyline into being. The Woolworth Building They were joined by New York's latest residents. Newly-arrived immigrants, who had looked up in wonder at Manhattan's towers, soon joined the Mohawks high above the streets. The new technologies of the 1880s, such as the passenger elevator and steel-cage construction, made New York's turn-of-the-century skyscraper explosion possible. Rocks helped, too. Much of Manhattan is one big chunk of granite, perfect for the solid foundations tall buildings need. The Flatiron Building The race to the sky was on. First came the 11-story Tower Building in 1889, then the 21-story Flatiron Building in 1903. In 1913, F.W. Woolworth paid cash for his 60-story "cathedral of commerce." And finally, there was the 102-story Empire State Building in 1931, the world's tallest building until 1976. Top illustration: Courtesy of Brown Brothers, Sterling, Pa. Middle Illustration: Courtesy of the Library of Congress. Illustration at bottom: Courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library - Brooklyn Collection.
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