Flatiron Building: then and now

c. 1903 vs 2011 · New York, NY

NowThen

Then, c. 1903The building a year or two after it opened, with horse-drawn carts and trolleys below. Dated between 1902 and 1905.Photo: Detroit Publishing Company · Public domain · Source · cropped and resized

Today, 2011Photo taken on July 19, 2011.Photo: Carol M. Highsmith (Library of Congress) · Public domain · Source · cropped and resized

The story

The Flatiron Building was finished in 1902 and opened to tenants on October 1, 1902. It was first called the Fuller Building, after George A. Fuller. The architect was Daniel Burnham's firm.

The triangle shape comes from the site. Broadway cuts across the city grid on a diagonal, so the block is a wedge. It was first 20 stories plus an attic, and grew to 22 stories in 1905.

Early on it was nicknamed Burnham's Folly, because people doubted a building so thin could stand. It is now a National Historic Landmark.

Did you know? The narrow end is only about 6 feet wide. The building is 307 feet tall.

Historians argue about this. Sources give the width of the narrow end as either 6 feet or 6.5 feet, so we say about 6 feet.

Fact or tall tale?

SolidThe Flatiron Building was first called the Fuller Building.
It was named for George A. Fuller, founder of the Fuller Company.
Not trueThe Flatiron Building's narrow tip is about 60 feet wide.
The narrow end is only about 6 feet wide.

Sources

More: Look for historic photos at the Library of Congress

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Next: Statue of Liberty. Written from the cited sources, not yet walked on site unless noted.