The Oldest Known Steel Building in America

There is truly a lot to talk about when it comes to the history of steel and its use in construction. Steel is one of the most important materials you can consider when planning your construction project, the metal fabrication Denver construction use is top rated. Used for nearly 150 years, it provides you with a material as tough as concrete but still extremely flexible and very hard to crack.

 

The steel industry began considering the use of steel frames as early as the 1850s. However, as the process wasn’t yet perfected, it was only in 1879 that Sidney Gilchrist Thomas managed to solve some of the basic problems with the production and use of steel frames, such as the presence of phosphorus.

 

It was only six years later that the history of steel frames truly began. Completed in 1885, the Home Insurance Building in Chicago became the first building ever constructed using a full steel skeleton. The building became famous due to its stability and the fact that it took the load off the masonry part, which was no longer expected to carry as much weight.

 

The result was a building that was highly durable and that didn’t require too much time to complete. Despite this fact, the Home Insurance Building still rose to a height of more than 130 feet, and lasted almost 50 years, until it was finally demolished in 1931.

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