Brick and Mortar: Tallest buildings of each U.S. city, 1950
This is part one of a four part series of pre-war building lists. The second part is a continuation of this list to smaller cities . The other two parts in this series, covering New York and Chicago, are linked below each city.
I am a fan of pre-war buildings, their ornamentation, and their seeming sense of solidity next to the glass boxes of more recent decades. I also find old inner cities before suburbanization fascinating, and the year 1950 combines both of these topics. In that year, most cities' skylines were practically identical to 1932/1933, as the building halt from the Depression lingered on. (There were exceptions, notably Boston and Dallas.) The Census of 1950 was the high mark for most of the Northeast and Midwest's industrial metropolises as well. Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., Rochester, and Boston all had their greatest city limit populations in 1950. So as an exhibit of that notable year, I have collected pictures of the tallest buildings from each of the largest cities, ordered by 1950 population. The figures can be found at the Census Bureau. I haven't included New York City's tallest. The Big Apple's pre-war skyscrapers IMO are on such another level in terms of height and fame they merit their own post. Also on a separate post are the Chicago skyscrapers due to their number and familiarity. I love skyscrapers but I'm no expert on them, so if I have made an error feel free to point it out. Also, based on whether you include spires, the ranking of some of the buildings can shift. Personally, my interest in older buildings were sparked by childhood trips to Chicago and St. Louis. I recall being entranced by the old brick giants and their sense of history. I also have a Canadian list in case the Queen is on your money. First, a few world leaders in 1950. POTUS - Harry S Truman Prime Minister of Canada - Louis St. Laurent King of Great Britain - George VI Prime Minister of Great Britain - Clement Atlee Chancellor of West Germany - Konrad Adenauer Leader of Spain - Francisco Franco President of France - Vincent Auriol Leader of the Soviet Union - Joseph Stalin Leader of the PR China - Mao Zedong Prime Minister of India - Jawaharlal Nehru The Cities: #1. Of course, New York, with 7,891,957 in the five boroughs. New York also had the tallest buildings, but we all know that. ;) Here is the list of New York's skyscrapers. #2. Chicago, 3,620,962 (historical high) Here is Chicago's list. #3. Philadelphia, 2,071,605 (historical high) 1) Philadelphia City Hall, 548 ft, 1901 Billy Penn is a little over halfway through the Gentlemen’s Agreement. http://www.philadelphia-reflections....-city-hall.jpg (Philadelphia Reflections) 2) PSFS Building, 492 ft, 1932 The first International Style skyscraper in the States, and a sign of buildings to come... http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/psfs/psfs1_mummers.jpg (Phillyskyline.com) 3) Pennsylvania National Bank Building, 482 ft, 1932 http://ec2-174-129-112-117.compute-1...th%20Broad.jpg (Thatroof.com) 4) Fidelity-Philadelphia Trust Company Building, 405 ft, 1927 Today known as the Wachovia Building http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/4...e51625.jpg?v=0 (Flickr) 5) Girard Trust Building, 394 ft, 1930 Today the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/skys.../041227/26.jpg (skyscrapersunset.com) 6) Lewis Tower, 389 ft, 1929 Today a condo tower named Aria http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...iladelphia.JPG (Wikimedia) 7) The Drake, 375 ft, 1929 http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicc/cfiles6459.jpg (city-data.com) 8) Medical Tower, 364 ft, 1931 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1080/...06958e.jpg?v=0 (Flickr) 9) Market Street National Bank Building, 347 ft, 1930 Now Residence Inn Philadelphia Center City http://image.pegs.com/content/H/H12/...Iext0124_j.jpg (pegs.com) 10) Land Title & Trust Block, 345 ft, 1902 http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/skys.../050101/16.jpg (skyscrapersunset.com) #4. Los Angeles, 1,970,358 L.A. is the only city in 1950’s top ten not in the Northeast or Midwest! The Sun Belt’s boom was just starting… 1) Los Angeles City Hall, 454 ft, 1927 http://www.inetours.com/Los_Angeles/..._Hall_7371.jpg (inetours.com) 2) LAC/USC Medical Center, 1933 http://www.usc.edu/hsc/pharmacy/pd_l...ncy/lacusc.gif (USC) 3) Richfield Tower, 1929 This building was demolished in 1969, sparking a local preservation movement. http://college.usc.edu/geography/pri...town/rich2.gif (USC) 4) Eastern Columbia Building, 264 ft, 1930 http://www.you-are-here.com/broadway...n_columbia.jpg (you-are-here.com) 5) U.S. Post Office & Court House, 256 ft, 1940 http://www.you-are-here.com/los_angeles/court_house.jpg (you-are-here.com) #5. Detroit, 1,849,568 (historical high) 1) Penobscot Building, 565 ft to the roof, 1928 http://detroitbankruptcylawyer.com/Penob0%5B1%5D.jpg (detroitbankruptcylawyer.com) 2) Guardian Building, 495 ft, 1929 http://www.johnmars.com/images/detro...anbuilding.jpg (johnmars.com) 3) Book Tower, 475 ft, 1926 http://www.downriverdetroit.net/wayn.../booktower.jpg (downriverdetroit.net) 4) Fisher Building, 444 ft to spire, 1928 http://www.detroit-travel-guide.com/...r-building.jpg (Detroit Travel Guide) 5) J.L. Hudson Department Store, 439 ft, 1927 Demolished in 1998 http://www.detroityes.com/downtown/09hudsons.jpg (Detroityes.com) 6) Cadillac Tower, 438 ft to roof, 1927 http://www.downriverdetroit.net/wayn...illactower.jpg (downriverdetroit.net) 7) David Stott Building, 437 ft, 1929 http://www.detroit-travel-guide.com/...-building2.jpg (Detroit Travel Guide) 8) David Broderick Tower, 369 ft, 1928 http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/4...f5d7a34dca.jpg (Flickr) 9) Buhl Building, 366 ft, 1925 http://www.semcog.org/assets/0/188/2...40b656cfa3.jpg (semcog.org) 10) Book-Cadillac Hotel, 349 ft, 1924 http://aktpeerless.sitewizard.biz/cu...okCadillac.jpg (sitewizard.biz) #6. Baltimore, 949,708 (historical high) 1) Baltimore Trust Company Building, 509 ft, 1924 Now the Bank of America Building http://www.beyonddc.com/images/photo...famerica02.jpg (Beyonddc.com) 2) Tower Building, 330 ft, 1912 Demolished in the 1980s http://www.kilduffs.com/building_37_...uilding_PC.jpg (kilduffs.com) 3) Silo Point, 299 ft, 1923 A modern high rise around a 1920s grain elevator! The picture is the modern complex. http://www.baltimoregrows.com/wp-con...ilo-point1.jpg (baltimoregrows.com) 4) Baltimore Gas & Electric Building, 289 ft, 1916 http://www.beyonddc.com/images/photo...ings/bge02.jpg (beyonddc.com) 5) Emerson Tower, 289 ft, 1911 http://www.spearsvotta.com/projects/...lock_tower.jpg (spearsvotta.com) 6) Radisson Plaza Hotel, 289 ft, 1928 http://www.fscottfitzgeraldsociety.o...reRadisson.jpg (F. Scott Fitzgerald Society) #7. Cleveland, 914,808 (historical high) 1) Terminal Tower, 708 ft to the roof, 1930 The tallest building in the world at the time outside of New York. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...inal_Tower.jpg (Wikimedia) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...Picture058.jpg (Photobucket, courtesy of FerrariEnzo) 2) Ohio Bell Building, 364 ft, 1927 Now the AT&T Huron Road http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...e051909_36.jpg (clevelandskyscrapers.com) 3) Huntington Bank Building, 289 ft, 1924 http://www.pbase.com/jaybird287/image/126927871.jpg (pbase.com) 4) Standard Building, 282 ft, 1925 http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...rdbuilding.jpg 5) The Keith Building, 272 feet, 1922 http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...thbuilding.jpg 6) Superior Building, 270 feet, 1922 http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...orfrom1717.jpg 7) Fenn Tower, 265 feet, 1921 http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...d/fenn0908.jpg 8) Landmark Office Towers, 260 ft, 1930 http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...omterminal.jpg #8. St. Louis, 856,796 (historical high) 1) Southwestern Bell Building, 397 ft, 1926 [IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3455/...g?v=1232420490 [/IMG] (Flickr) 2) Civil Courts Building, 386 ft, 1929 http://www.thomaspatrickdeaton.com/Civil-Courts.jpg (thomaspatrickdeaton.com) 3) Park Plaza, 310 ft, 1930 http://www.roomsinstlouis.com/pics/a...rk-Plaza-1.jpg (roomsinstlouis.com) 4) Continental Building, 286 ft, 1930 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...uildingSTL.jpg (Wikimedia) 5) Railway Exchange Building, 277 ft, 1914 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/...8b3f6085e5.jpg #9. Washington, D.C., 802,178 (historical high) 1) Old Post Office Building, 314 ft, 1899 http://b5media_b4.s3.amazonaws.com/2...hington-dc.jpg (thedctraveler.com) 2) National Cathedral, 301 ft, 1907 http://americanthings.files.wordpres...ressdotcom.jpg (AmericanThings at WordPress) 3) United States Capitol, 288 ft, 1863 1863 is the year the crowning statue, Freedom, was put in place. http://www.photohome.com/pictures/wa...uilding-1a.jpg (photohome.com) #10. Boston, 801,444 (historical high) 1) Custom House Tower, 496 ft, 1915 http://processwire.com/skyscrapers/s...se-tower-2.jpg (processwire.com) 2) John Hancock Building, 495 ft, 1947 http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/4...f3b010.jpg?v=0 (Flickr) 3) Federal Building & Post Office, 345 ft, 1931 http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fna...h/bostnpo1.jpg (Boston College) 4) Suffolk County Courthouse, 330 ft, 1939 http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1229/...969e361e71.jpg (Flickr) 5) New England Telephone & Telegraph Building, 298 ft, 1947 http://bostonartdeco.org/_Media/nett_textmedium.jpeg (bostonartdeco.org) 6) United Shoe Machinery Building, 298 ft, 1930 http://www.bostonpreservation.org/pe...nitedshoe2.jpg (bostonpreservation.org) #11. San Francisco, 775,357 1) Russ Building, 435 ft, 1927 http://www.russbuilding.info/images/...rtoc_r3_c4.jpg (russbuilding.info) 2) PacBell Building, 435 ft, 1925 http://www.silvercreek.wclark.k12.in...0building.jpeg (wclark.k12.in.us) 3) Shell Building, 378 ft, 1929 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2189/...cee3f38ab7.jpg (Flickr) 4) 450 Sutter Building, 345 ft, 1929 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...450_Sutter.jpg (Wikimedia) 5) 225 Bush Street, 328 ft, 1922 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3189/...g?v=1218998442 (Flickr) 6) Sir Francis Drake Hotel, 315 ft, 1928 http://www.alamedainfo.com/Sir_Franc...cisco_PC_1.jpg (alamedainfo.com) 7) Commercial Union Assurance Building, 308 ft, 1921 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3426/...f5fb609cff.jpg (Flickr) http://lh4.ggpht.com/_xOT6vpyKCTM/RV...0/IMG_1187.JPG (ggpht.com) 8) McAllister Tower, 308 ft, 1929 http://farm1.static.flickr.com/128/3...fa6a9a.jpg?v=0 (Flickr) 9) San Francisco City Hall, 308 ft, 1915 http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/...ity%20Hall.jpg (sfweekly.com) 10) Hunter-Dulin Building, 305 ft, 1927 http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-...ing-small2.jpg (villagephotos.com) 11) The Mark Hopkins Hotel, 305 ft, 1925 http://s2.hubimg.com/u/13589_f260.jpg (hubimg.com) #12, Pittsburgh, 676,806 (historical high) 1) Gulf Building, 582 ft, 1932 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2447/...57e6a8581d.jpg (Flickr) 2) Cathedral of Learning, 535 ft, 1937 http://www.photohome.com/pictures/pe...earning-1a.jpg (photohome.com) (UC) US Steel & Mellon Building, 522 ft, 1951 http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/Im...Jul08-006a.jpg (Glass, Steel, and Stone) 3) Grant Building, 485 ft, 1928 http://glasssteelandstone.com/Images...Jul08-002a.jpg (Glass, Steel, and Stone) 4) Koppers Building, 475 ft, 1929 http://glasssteelandstone.com/Images...Jul08-010a.jpg (Glass, Steel, and Stone) 5) First National Bank, 387 ft, 1912 Demolished 1970 http://www.phlf.org/wp-content/uploa...skyscraper.jpg (phlf.org) 6) Clark Building, 1928 http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/Im...Jul08-002a.jpg (Glass, Steel, and Stone) 7) The Lawyers Building, 1928 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2267/...6b098b.jpg?v=0 (Flickr) 8) Oliver Building, 347 ft, 1910 http://glasssteelandstone.com/Images...Jul08-002a.jpg (Glass, Steel, and Stone) 9) Farmers Bank Building, 344 ft, 1902 Demolished in 1997 http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/alleg...-bank-bldg.jpg (usgwarchives.net) 10) Bell Telephone Building, 339 ft, 1923 http://www.emporis.com/images/5/2006/04/451857.jpg (Emporis) The list continues with more cities: Minneapolis, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Newark and far, far beyond... |
Cool list.
Milwaukee's City Hall would remain the tallest building until 1973, when the First Wisconsin Center would open [which remains tallest to this day]. This made City Hall the tallest building in the city for 78 years, certainly one of the longest holders of 'city tallest' in the country. It was also the tallest skyscraper in the world for four years until the Park Row Building in NY was completed in 1899. |
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Interestingly, Milwaukee's population would increase to the mid 700k range in 1960, but the city area doubled in the 1950s, suggesting suburban annexation helped keep Milwaukee's population from dropping as early on as the other big industrial cities. |
Whoohoo! Reliving the glory years of the industrial north! I love it. I feel like those old guys who meet every morning at every mcdonalds to drink their senior coffees and tell stories of how much better this country used to be.
But yeah, it was a golden age of landmark towers for the US. Thanks for including pics of each one. For Pittsburgh, probably shouldve added the courthouse if you did the one for Buffalo and the post office of Wash DC. |
If NYC's many wonderful towers of the era were included, you would have, in this thread, the best collection of beautiful buildings in this entire forum. Let all of these buildings be preserved.
That Cathedral of Learning (Pitts) and Guardian bldg (Det) are just fantastic. |
Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying my little project here. I'm working on expanding this list, both in cities and likely in buildings per city.
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I'll also highlight in red the buildings we have lost. After this, I'm planning an extensive post on NYC's pre-war buildings. |
great collection of prewar beauties!
you may want to consider adding the palmolive building for chicago, it's 565' to the top of it's spire. and if you drop the height threshold for chicago down to 450' (instead of 500'), there are 8 more towers you could add, including some amazing classic gems like tribune tower, metropolitan tower (strauss building), hotel intercontinental, and the american furniture mart, amongst others. also, your picture of chicago's pittsfield building is woefully out of date. the building was given a thorough cleaning years ago and its magnificent terra cotta cladding shines brilliantly white once again. feel free to use my pic of it below: http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6871/pittsfield.jpg |
For Minneapolis you should add the 26 storyRand Tower, its a great art deco building, completed the same year as the Foshay. Also, the 19 story Soo line Building was completed in 1915. Thats a great building, though renovations have messed up the lower floors:(
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Great thread, it's one of the things that I love most about downtown Chicago. Finding these treasures all over the city. I think you're missing a few from Chicago in that list right? Wrigley building, Tribune tower, etc...
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Foshay tower is off the hook! Its like a deco version of the John Hancock Building!
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Great thread! I'm looking forward to seeing Kansas City and Newark.
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On a separate post, I expanded Chicago's part to the buildings around and above 400 feet, and included Palmolive's spire to make it #3. So now, Chicago's top 23 buildings are up there, which is fitting given Chicago's architectural history and its place as my favorite city. On the separate Chicago thread I will include the 300 footers, which is about 40 buildings and would include the Hilton, Merchandise Mart, London Guarantee, and the third tallest of the Michigan Avenue Wall. concurrently, I'll do New York's (long long) list this weekend and maintain this list.
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Hartford 177,397
1) Travelers Tower, 527 ft, 1919 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/...97368a7d_b.jpg charger2003 Tallest building outside of New York until 1924. |
Great post! A few notes about Cleveland's towers:
Terminal Tower - 708 feet is the structural height; the 63-foot flagpole brings it to 771, but isn't usually included. Ohio Bell Building - now known as AT&T Huron Road. They've removed a good amount of the telecomm equipment in the photo you posted. Here's a more current image: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...e051909_36.jpg There's also the Standard Building - 282 feet/86m, 1925: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...rdbuilding.jpg The Keith Building - 272 feet/83m, 1922: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...thbuilding.jpg The Superior Building - 270 feet/82m - 1922: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...orfrom1717.jpg Fenn Tower - 265 feet/81m, 1921: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...d/fenn0908.jpg Landmark Office Towers - 260 feet/79m - 1930: http://www.clevelandskyscrapers.com/...omterminal.jpg |
MayDay: Thanks for the pictures! They have been incorporated into the post.
Scalziand: I believe the Travelers Tower is by far the tallest building in a smaller city like Hartford. Thanks for the pic! |
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Fiddling with the diagrams, I came up with some numbers:
400 footers in 1950: All US cities - 154 New York - 87 Chicago - 23 Detroit - 7 Pittsburgh - 4 Philadelphia - 4 Kansas City - 3 Boston - 2 Cincinnati - 2 Dallas - 2 Newark - 2 Oklahoma City - 2 San Francisco - 2 200 footers: All US cities - 1408 New York - 692 Chicago - 185 Philadelphia - 56 Detroit - 35 Pittsburgh - 26 San Francisco - 23 St. Louis - 17 Baltimore - 14 Cincinnati - 14 Dallas - 14 Cleveland - 13 Kansas City - 13 Houston - 12 Newark - 12 Los Angeles - 11 Minneapolis - 10 New Orleans - 10 Birmingham - 9 Boston - 9 Milwaukee - 9 Seattle - 9 400 footers by decade 1900s - 4 (3 in NY and Philly City Hall) 1910s - 12 1920s - 67 1930s - 65 1940s - 6 1901-1924 - 23 1925-1933 - 118 1934-1950 - 13 |
Damn, these stats are interesting. the heyday of skyscrapers: 1920s-1930s
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During the Great Depression, the only major buildings finished in the late 1930s were government structures like New York's Federal Courthouse and Kansas City's City Hall. It's no accident the fastest growing cities in the 1930s were Washington (Fed Gov) and Los Angeles (symbol of a new start). The Mercantile Exchange Building in Dallas and a few of the Rockefeller Plaza buildings were the only commercial skyscrapers built in the States between 1934 and 1947. |
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