The Woolworth Building
Cass Gilbert (1859-1934)
Woolworth Building, New York
City.
Sketch elevation
Graphite on paper, December 31, 1910
Prints & Photographs Division
|
On April 24th, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button
in Washington, D. C., that first illuminated the more than 5,000
windows in New York City's Woolworth Building. A triumph of American
building technology and architectural prowess, it reigned as the
world's tallest building until 1930. Known as "the Cathedral of
Commerce," the Woolworth Building was clad in gleaming architectural
terra-cotta. Located on one of busiest sites in the city, with a
gilded roof ascending to 793 feet, it became an international symbol
of New York City and America's "can do" spirit.
|