Tracing back to the earliest days of skyscraper construction, fearless iron and steelworkers would risk their lives on a daily basis, to help build those larger-than-life towers. The balance and finesse required to accomplish such feats can boggle the mind. We’ll take a look at some impressive vintage photos capturing the men that would balance and work away on top of skyscrapers without any safety nets.
1. Workers eating lunch atop a beam back in 1925.
The grace under pressure with that passing of the lunch items. Wow.
2. A construction worker on a beam high above the building at Wall Street.
This is a truly magical shot here. Words can’t really do it justice.
3. Photo of an ironworker during construction of the Columbia Tower, Seattle, 1984.
Don’t look down. Just don’t do it.
4. Working on the Empire State Building in 1930.
Seems like a nice enough day to have a full view of the city.
5. My iron worker cousin building Boston in the 70s.
Buddy is taking a moment to reflect.
6. Steelworker hanging out during the construction of the Empire State Building in 1930.
You would not want to find yourself in a moment of accidental slipping.
7. A cable worker during the construction of the Empire State Building in New York City.
One of the more aesthetically impressive shots of a guy working on top of a skyscraper that we’ve ever seen.
8. Empire State Building construction workers in the 1930s.
This team looks like they have all the healthy chemistry and flow.
9. Steel worker Carl Russell sits at 1,222 feet (400 meters) on top of a steel beam casually waving to the cameraman.
Carl is clearly having more fun than the rest of us.
10. Workers on the scaffolding of the restoration project of the Statue of Liberty in 1984.
What a throwback.
11. A New York iron worker walks along a girder high above the city streets in 1950.
Definitely one of those moments where you want to make sure to watch each of your steps.
12. Dad building the Cleveland skyline in 1983.
The stache really ties everything together in the best way possible.
13. Workers on top of the newly constructed World Trade Center in 1973.
This is just a plain old fun shot.
14. Construction workers take a break and play harmonicas while building the Rockefeller Center skyscraper in New York City in 1932.
You’ve got to wonder what the acoustics are like when one plays the harmonica from so far up.
15. Two workers resting during the construction of the Empire State Building in 1930.
Not a bad place at all to take a rest.
16. Steelworker touching the tip of the Chrysler Building in 1931.
Talk about a next-level optical illusion. My goodness.
17. Empire State Building construction worker in 1931.
This guy’s giving out a fully fearless kind of energy.
