Elevator Anniversary

By Alan

Recently, I moved offices from the 12th floor of a 100 year old building, to the 6th floor of a more modern skyscraper. Ironically enough, the move meant that I'm actually having more elevator rides than before. Because of a quirk of construction, I take a ride to the "sky lobby" on the 4th floor, where I board other elevators to access the rest of the floors. I found it fun that a significant anniversary was passing by at the same time I was finding new elevator experiences.

Despite the "simple" concept, elevators weren't actually a common thing until after March 23rd, 1857 when Elisha Otis installed the first commercial "safety elevator" in New York City. Several years before he famously demonstrated the safety of his cable elevator at the World's Fair by getting into his elevator himself, and having the cable cut while he was several stories above the ground. Before his invention, this would have meant certain death. (Because Jumping up in the air at the bottom doesn't help).

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