National Register of Historic Places

Manhattan Building

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
March 16, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76000697

About this property

The Manhattan Building is a 16-story building at 431 South Dearborn Street in Chicago, Illinois. It was designed by architect William Le Baron Jenney and constructed from 1889 to 1891. It is the oldest surviving skyscraper in the world to use a purely skeletal supporting structure. It is the sixth oldest surviving building in the city. The building was the first home of the Paymaster Corporation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 16, 1976, and designated a Chicago Landmark on July 7, 1978.

Location

431 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.88494, -87.62896

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTENGINEERINGARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Delaware Building
Industrial
0 mi
Oliver Building
Industrial
0 mi
New Masonic Building and Oriental Theater
Industrial
0.1 mi
Page Brothers Building
Civil War
0.1 mi
Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Fort Dearborn (Chicago Massacre)
1812Early Republic
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Manhattan Building listed on the National Register?

Manhattan Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 16, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Manhattan Building?

Manhattan Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Manhattan Building?

The period of significance for Manhattan Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Manhattan Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Manhattan Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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