This program focuses on the symbolic and historical aspects of the Empire State Building rather than its architecture and technology. The world's tallest building was preceded but a skyscraper construction boom in the roaring twenties that ironed out many of the challenges of building tall. Yet, despite being one of the only major construction projects in New York during the Great Depression, which generated considerable publicity, it remained controversial in a number of ways until the film "King Kong" made it a must see tourist destination and it survived a B-25 plane crash.

Starring:

Irwin G. Cantor, Brendan Gill

Genre:

Documentary, History