From the 10 February 1894 issue of Scientific American.
A “City Under One Roof”, showing the Masonic Temple’s height in relation to buildings and monuments from elsewhere in the US.
Left to right: Scientific American’s Munn & Co., Masonic Temple, Trinity Church NY, Statue of Liberty NY, Capital Washington, Ferris Wheel Chicago.
Tallest Buildings in the United States
|
Built
|
Razed
|
Building
|
Height
|
Stories
|
City
|
|
1885
|
1931
|
180
|
10
|
Chicago
|
|
|
1885
|
1929
|
320
|
10
|
Chicago
|
|
|
1894
|
1965
|
Manhattan Life Insurance
|
348
|
18
|
New York City
|
|
1895
|
NA
|
Milwaukee City Hall
|
353
|
15
|
Milwaukee
|
|
1899
|
NA
|
Park Row
|
391
|
30
|
New York City
|
|
1901
|
NA
|
Philadelphia City Hall
|
548
|
9
|
Philadelphia
|
|
1908
|
1967
|
Singer
|
612
|
47
|
New York City
|
|
1909
|
NA
|
New York Metropolitan Life
|
700
|
50
|
New York City
|
|
1913
|
NA
|
Woolworth
|
792
|
57
|
New York City
|
|
1930
|
NA
|
40 Wall Street
|
927
|
71
|
New York City
|
|
1930
|
NA
|
Chrysler
|
1,046
|
77
|
New York City
|
|
1931
|
NA
|
Empire State
|
1,250
|
102
|
New York City
|
|
1972
|
2001
|
World Trade Center
|
1,368
|
110
|
New York City
|
|
1974
|
NA
|
Willis (Sears) Tower
|
1,451
|
108
|
Chicago
|
|
2014
|
NA
|
One World Trade Center
|
1,776
|
104
|
New York City
|
Tallest Buildings in Chicago
|
Years Tallest
|
|||||
|
From
|
To
|
Building
|
Height
|
Stories
|
Address
|
|
1854
|
1869
|
Holy Name Cathedral1
|
254
|
1
|
733 N. State
|
|
1869
|
1885
|
Saint Michael’s Church
|
290
|
1
|
Eugenie & Chicago
|
|
1885
|
1894
|
320
|
10
|
141 W. Jackson
|
|
|
1894
|
1899
|
302
|
22
|
State & Randolph
|
|
|
1899
|
1922
|
394
|
22
|
6 N. Michigan
|
|
|
1922
|
1924
|
398
|
29
|
400 N. Michigan
|
|
|
1924
|
1930
|
568
|
21
|
77 W. Washington
|
|
|
1930
|
1965
|
605
|
44
|
141 W. Jackson
|
|
|
1965
|
1969
|
Richard J. Daley Center
|
648
|
31
|
50 W. Washington
|
|
1969
|
1973
|
John Hancock Center
|
1,127
|
100
|
875 N, Michigan
|
|
1973
|
1974
|
Aon Center (Std Oil)
|
1,136
|
83
|
200 E. Randolph
|
|
1974
|
Present
|
Willis (Sears) Tower
|
1,451
|
108
|
233 S. Wacker
|
1 The tallest buildings in the United States did not include churches or cathedrals.
2 In 1894 the clock was removed from the Chicago Board of Trade Building, which made the Masonic Temple the tallest building in Chicago.
3 The Masonic Temple, built in 1892, became the tallest in Chicago three years later when the Board of Trade Building had its clock tower removed.
4 The Montgomery Ward Building is currently 282 feet tall, following the removal of a pyramid top and sculpture.
Where is Trump Tower?
Trump Tower has a height of 1,389 feet including spire which means it’s shorter than Willis Tower.
This list is only of the tallest building in Chicago..