Amazing Photos Of Iconic Landmarks Before They Were Finished
Before they were the famous landmarks they are today, the Lincoln Memorial, the Empire State Building, and the U.S. Capitol were little more than ideas in the minds of their designers. Then they were brought to life thanks to the immense efforts of countless laborers, at times risking their lives in the process. The following stunning photographs capture the world’s most iconic structures whilst they were being built, showing them in a fascinating new light.
1. Statue of Liberty
The French anti-slavery activist Edouard de Laboulaye had an idea: he wanted his country to create a statue — one that would represent the idea of liberty — and to gift it to the United States. Envisioned as a representation of American and French friendship, the concept gained support, and in 1870 the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi got to work on designing it.
During a visit to the States the following year, Bartholdi identified Bedloe’s Island as the ideal place for his creation to one day stand. Any ship sailing through New York Harbor — which he considered to be the “gateway to America” — would be able to see it looming tall there. Today, of course, we know it as Liberty Island.
A long journey to the “gateway to America”
Construction on Bartholdi’s statue got underway in 1876 with the build taking place in France. Unsurprisingly for a project of this scale, work was slow and it was only completed in 1884. It was assembled in France and presented to an American official there before being taken apart again and shipped to the United States: a drawn-out and arduous process.
In the summer of 1885, the giant sculpture made it to New York Harbor, but the pedestal it was due to stand on wasn’t yet finished. It wasn’t until the following year that reassembly could begin. On October 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was finally unveiled to Americans.
2. Hoover Dam
When construction began on the Hoover Dam at the height of the Great Depression, the world had never seen a project of its kind. It must have been a daunting prospect: its scale was unprecedented. But government officials clearly deemed that all the money, time, and effort would be worth it in the end.
The dam had been conceived with many aims in mind. Firstly, to prevent flooding downstream of the region. Secondly, to supply water for irrigation purposes. And thirdly, to generate electricity.
At least 96 people died
By the time construction works began in 1931, three decades of planning had gone into the project. Engineer Arthur Powell Davis dreamed up the dam in 1902, but the building project was led by engineer Frank Crow. Something like 5,000 laborers were recruited, often undertaking their work in perilous conditions.
Many people died on the Hoover Dam project. The official number sits at 96, but the true figure is likely higher. It’s clear to see that this work was extremely dangerous. Any of the 1.3 million or so people who today use electricity generated from the dam have those lost workers to thank for it.