National Historic Landmark

Reliance Building

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
October 14, 1970
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
70000237

About this property

The Reliance Building is a skyscraper located at 1 W. Washington Street in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The first floor and basement were designed by John Root of the Burnham and Root architectural firm in 1890, with the rest of the building completed by Charles B. Atwood in 1895. It is the first skyscraper to have large plate glass windows covering the majority of its surface area—a design feature that became dominant in the 20th century. The Reliance Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and designated a National Historic Landmark on January 7, 1976. The Reliance Building is also part of the Loop Retail Historic District, a collection of over one hundred buildings that reflects the growth of State and Wabash Streets as the central retail district of Chicago. The building fell into disrepair starting in the 1940s, and was restored in the late 1990s. Since 1999, the building has housed the 122-room Staypineapple, An Iconic Hotel, The Loop (formerly the Hotel Burnham) and Atwood Cafe.

Location

32 N. State St.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.88282, -87.62846

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Reliance Building

This page lists Reliance Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Reliance Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Chicago Savings Bank Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company
Industrial
0.1 mi
Marshall Field Company Store
Industrial
0.1 mi
New Masonic Building and Oriental Theater
Industrial
0.1 mi
Loop Retail Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Reliance Building listed on the National Register?

Reliance Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Reliance Building?

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

Is Reliance Building a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Reliance Building has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Reliance Building?

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

Can I research the history near Reliance 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 Reliance Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cook County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cook County.

Explore CookCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Reliance Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report