Steel buildings and towers

700 years after the bronze age began or about 3,300 years ago, some blacksmiths accidentally discovered that iron became stronger when left in coal furnaces. Hence the birth of carbon steel, and why  coal remains vitally important to the steel industry.
 

It wasn't until about 300AD, that China became the first country in the world to mass produce high quality steel, and coincidentally remains the largest producer of steel in the world to this day.

The rush to construct tall buildings began in the late 1750s when the Christ Church steeple in Philadelphia was constructed with steel beams, copper, lead, mortar and wood. Designed by Robert Smith, a Scotish immigrant, Smith was one of America's first recognized architects. A lottery organized by Benjamin Franklin funded the steeple's construction.

The final height at just 196 feet, was captivating, and remained an inspirational landmark for 135 years until the Eiffel Tower stole the show at over 1,000 feet of riveted steel in1889. Steel beams were embedded into the solid mortar walls to keep the steeple level, lead and copper were used to construct the roof.

Built in 1870 by Americans Arthur Gilman and Edward Kendall, the Equitable Life building at 172 feet and assembled in Manhattan, introduced riveted iron cage construction.
 

The 1,083ft. Eiffel Tower built by architect Stephen Sauvestre and structural engineers Maurice Koechlin, and Émile Nouguier was finished in 1889 for the Paris World's Fair.
 

It was of wrought-iron lattice joined by rivets, ironically arc welding was invented one year after the World's Fair. The Eiffel Tower remained the highest man made structure until the Empire State building stole the show in 1932.

Completed in 1889 the Tacoma building at 165 feet tall was constructed by George A. Fuller from iron and steel joined exclusively with rivets, much like the Eiffel Tower and ironically at the same time.

Also built by Burnham and Root was the Masonic Temple building in 1892.
At 302 feet, it was the highest skyscraper in the Chicago area for many years following its completion.

The Incas and Wari cultures of ancient America were the first to build rope suspension bridges, from 600AD to about the year 1400. This modern day rope suspension bridge was built using similar technology but used dacron rope instead of jute.

Suspension bridges use far more steel than skyscrapers of the same era.
 

With that said, the world's first major suspension bridge had a span of 579 feet, the Menai bridge in northwest Wales was originally built by Thomas Telford in 1826. It was built with wrought-iron suspension cables and later replaced by steel cables in 1940. The original bridge had 2,000 tons of wrought iron suspension cable.

The Williamsburg bridge built in 1903 used hinged connectors instead of bolts or rivets. This revolutionary construction method was nicknamed the Elastic Theory.
 

The architect, Henry Hornbostel was the first to build suspension bridge towers with steel instead of mortar, saving time and money. Its span of 1,600 feet was the world's longest until 2026. Almost 8,000 tons of steel went into the towers and suspension cables.

Built in 1929 by Jonathan Jones and Raloh Modjeski, the Ambassador  bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan to Windsor, Ontario in Canada broke the record with an 1,850 foot suspended span. More than 21,000 tons of steel went into the bridge while all of its framing was connected with rivets.
 

This bridge remains essential to the communities on both sides of the bridge.

The Mackinack bridge designed by Dr. David B. Steinman in 1957, achieved a 3,800 foot suspended span. Over 72,000 tons of structural steel, rivets, and bolts including 42,000 miles of cable wire were used to build the bridge.

The Humber Bridge in Yorkshire England, built by Bernard Wex in 1981 achieved a record breaking 4,630 feet of suspended span. Over 29,000 tons of steel were used in the cables and steel-reinforced concrete. No rivets were used in the construction of the bridge.