U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 1

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, MAY 1: FIRST SKYSCRAPER

Profile America — Tuesday, May 1st.  Construction started on this date in 1884 in Chicago on a radical new building — destined to be America's first skyscraper.  It was the Home Insurance Company headquarters, designed by engineer William Jenney .  His design would literally change the shape of the nation's cities.  Jenney conceived a building using a metal frame for support, with the walls hung like curtains on the frame.  Previously, walls supported the building, limiting the height that could be safely reached.  Soon, skyscrapers using Jenney's idea sprang up across the country and today dominate city skylines around the world.  Each year, the building construction industry in the U.S. erects more than $266 billion worth of nonresidential buildings. Profile America is beginning its 16th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 242
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 964

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

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