Photos of the Empire State Building Under Construction

PhillyAnt Published 08/22/2013

This gallery showcases the amazing work of photographer Lewis Wickes Hine 1874-1940, a pioneering social photographer. All of the images were taken in 1931 during the construction of the Empire State Building. Many of the images may give you chills as the workers traverse steal beams unsecured with no harnesses.

List View
Player View
Grid View

1.
Crane hook and skyline looking south
2.
Construction worker maneuvering rope and pulley
3.
Construction worker standing on an I-beam pulling a rope
4.
Construction workers and crane seen from below
5.
Two construction workers at the corner of two steel beams pointing to the left
6.
Riveters attaching a beam
7.
Two workers attaching a beam with a crane
8.
A worker riding on a crane hook
9.
Two workers riveting a corner beam
10.
A worker hanging on to two steel beams
11.
A worker at the edge of a platform, looking north
12.
Three workers securing a rivet
13.
Cranes hoisting machinery
14.
Cranes hoisting steel
15.
Unloading steel from a truck
16.
Plumbing up a column
17.
Plumbing up a column
18.
Hoisting a large beam
19.
Workers guiding hoisting cable
20.
Atop Empire State- in construction Chrysler Bldg Daily News in middle foreground.
21.
Worker posing for the camera
22.
Worker torch-cutting steel
23.
Connecting the beams
24.
Bringing up steel with a crane
25.
Icarus, high up on Empire State
26.
Workers having lunch
27.
Worker pulling on a rope
28.
Worker attaching a bolt onto a beam
29.
Workers guiding hoisting cable
30.
Two workers securing a rivet
31.
Two workers inspecting steel
32.
Worker holding a bucket
33.
Worker bolting a steel support
34.
Crew attaching rivets
35.
Two workers repairing machinery
36.
View of the building rising to about sixteen stories
37.
View of the building rising to about sixteen stories
38.
View of the building from 34th Street and Fifth Avenue
39.
View of the building from another building about thirteen stories up
40.
View of the building with about forty stories framed out
41.
View of the building from a distance at about 34 completion
42.
A forest of girders. Empire State Building
43.
Workers on Empire State building
44.
Workers on Empire State building
45.
Worker on Empire State building, signaling the hookman
46.
Icarus, high up on Empire State
47.
Workers on Empire State building

1.
Crane hook and skyline looking south
2.
Construction worker maneuvering rope and pulley
3.
Construction worker standing on an I-beam pulling a rope
4.
Construction workers and crane seen from below
5.
Two construction workers at the corner of two steel beams pointing to the left
6.
Riveters attaching a beam
7.
Two workers attaching a beam with a crane
8.
A worker riding on a crane hook
9.
Two workers riveting a corner beam
10.
A worker hanging on to two steel beams
11.
A worker at the edge of a platform, looking north
12.
Three workers securing a rivet
13.
Cranes hoisting machinery
14.
Cranes hoisting steel
15.
Unloading steel from a truck
16.
Plumbing up a column
17.
Plumbing up a column
18.
Hoisting a large beam
19.
Workers guiding hoisting cable
20.
Atop Empire State- in construction Chrysler Bldg Daily News in middle foreground.
21.
Worker posing for the camera
22.
Worker torch-cutting steel
23.
Connecting the beams
24.
Bringing up steel with a crane
25.
Icarus, high up on Empire State
26.
Workers having lunch
27.
Worker pulling on a rope
28.
Worker attaching a bolt onto a beam
29.
Workers guiding hoisting cable
30.
Two workers securing a rivet
31.
Two workers inspecting steel
32.
Worker holding a bucket
33.
Worker bolting a steel support
34.
Crew attaching rivets
35.
Two workers repairing machinery
36.
View of the building rising to about sixteen stories
37.
View of the building rising to about sixteen stories
38.
View of the building from 34th Street and Fifth Avenue
39.
View of the building from another building about thirteen stories up
40.
View of the building with about forty stories framed out
41.
View of the building from a distance at about 34 completion
42.
A forest of girders. Empire State Building
43.
Workers on Empire State building
44.
Workers on Empire State building
45.
Worker on Empire State building, signaling the hookman
46.
Icarus, high up on Empire State
47.
Workers on Empire State building