“Not only was the Home Insurance Building, located at the northeast corner of La Salle and Adams Streets, the first skyscraper in Chicago — it was the first skyscraper in the world. Designed by famed architect William Le Baron Jenney and completed in 1885, it rose 10 stories (and eventually 12, after an addition six years later), its height made possible by its innovative steel-girder frame. Jenney supposedly got the idea when he saw his wife set a heavy book on a birdcage, which supported the weight.
“In those years after the Great Chicago Fire, the Home Insurance Company wanted a structure that was fireproof but that also had room for plenty of small offices above the first floor. Previously, commercial buildings had been constructed entirely of masonry, which was heavier, limiting their height. And unlike masonry structures, this one could accommodate banks of windows.
“Jenney’s innovation became the standard for tall buildings. So much so that the Home Insurance Building would not be tall enough to merit a lasting place in the Loop’s burgeoning skyline. In 1931, it was torn down to make way for the 45-story Field Building (also known as the LaSalle Bank Building). In the lobby is a plaque commemorating Jenney as “the true father of the skyscraper.” (McClelland, Chicago Magazine, 7/3/25)
“The Home Insurance Building represented a significant milestone in skyscraper construction, despite not meeting the criteria of most modern definitions, which typically classify a skyscraper as a building standing at least 150 meters or 490 feet tall. The Home Insurance Building established groundbreaking building practices that became defining elements of 20th-century architecture. Its pioneering use of a steel skeletal frame revolutionized structural engineering, paving the way for taller and more resilient buildings. This innovative approach set new standards for construction methods, shaping the development of modern skyscrapers and reshaping urban landscapes globally.” (Billingsley, Chicago YIMBY, 4/2/24)