Amazing Images With Little Known Stories From History

Workers constructing the Empire State Building, 1930

In a time full of fears, a building was supposed to surpass everything that had existed before: In March 1930, five months after the outbreak of the global economic crisis, the foundation stone for the Empire State Building was laid. Thousands risked their lives on the construction site - the prospect of a steady salary lured them to the brink. Always close to the abyss, they drove rivet after rivet into the skeleton of what was then the highest construction site in the world without a safety rope. It was probably just luck that, despite the speed of construction and poor safety precautions, only five workers died before completion.

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In a time full of fears, the natural fear of heights of these people above the city seems non-existent. History tells us that metalworkers are some of the bravest people to ever exist on earth. When they see images like this, many people wonder how they were taken. The photos appear to have been taken by someone floating in the air, which is exactly what happened. Photographer Lewis Hine documented the construction of the Empire State Building, and as construction continued, he had to find new ways to capture the workers and the building in his images. Hide was in a specially designed basket that swung 1,000 feet above Fifth Avenue. He photographed the building as well as work portraits of the workers.