E. V. Haughwout Building facts for kids
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E.V. Haughwout Building
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| Location | 488-492 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City |
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| Built | 1857 |
| Architect | J.P. Gaynor |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001218 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1973 |
The E.V. Haughwout Building is a famous five-story building in New York City. It stands in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, at the corner of Broome Street and Broadway. Built in 1857, this building is special because of its beautiful cast-iron design. It was once a fancy store that sold beautiful glass, silverware, and china. Even Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln, bought china here! This building also had the world's first successful passenger elevator.
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What Makes the Building Special?
The E.V. Haughwout Building looks like many other buildings from its time. It uses a special building style called cast-iron architecture. This means parts of the building's outside walls are made from iron that was melted and poured into molds. This style was inspired by old buildings in Venice, Italy.
How Cast Iron Made it Strong
Most cast-iron buildings of that time had their iron parts hanging from brick walls. But the Haughwout Building was different. It needed two cast-iron fronts because it was on two streets. This would make it very heavy.
The architect, John P. Gaynor, and the iron worker, Daniel D. Badger, had a clever idea. They used the strength of the cast-iron itself to hold up the building. This was a new way to build. It was like using a metal skeleton for the building.
A Look into the Future
This method was very important for future buildings. It was an early example of using a strong metal frame. This idea later led to the tall skyscrapers we see today, which use steel frames. Some people even call the E.V. Haughwout Building the "most important cast-iron structure ever built."
The World's First Passenger Elevator
The E.V. Haughwout Building made history on March 23, 1857. It installed the world's first successful passenger elevator. This elevator was a hydraulic lift, meaning it used water pressure to move. It was designed by Elisha Otis, a famous inventor.
How the Elevator Worked
The elevator cost $300, which was a lot of money back then. It moved slowly, at about 0.67 feet per second (0.2 meters per second). A steam engine in the basement powered it.
The building was only five stories tall, so it didn't really need an elevator. But Eder V. Haughwout, the store owner, was smart. He knew people would come just to see this new invention. And once they were there, they would likely stay and buy things! The original elevator is no longer in the building.
Why This Building is a Landmark
For a while, the E.V. Haughwout Building was in danger. There were plans to build a big highway called the Lower Manhattan Expressway right through the area. These plans were suggested in 1941 and finally stopped in 1969.
Protected and Restored
Because of its importance, the building was named a New York City landmark in 1965. Then, in 1973, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is officially recognized as a special historic place.
In 1995, the building's outside was fixed up. The columns were painted back to their original "Turkish drab" color. This restoration helped keep the building looking its best for future generations.
See also
In Spanish: E. V. Haughwout Building para niños
