Opening on May 1, 1931, the Empire State Building was for forty years the tallest building in the world. Dubbed the "Empty State Building" during the 1930s because most of the 102 floors remained untenanted, the building was constructed in just twelve months. Over a million visitors viewed Manhattan from the open-air observation deck in its first year and it has been popular with the public ever since.

At 1,250 feet, the Empire State Building is less decorative than its smaller 1930s skyscraper (see entry under 1930s—The Way We Lived in volume 2) rival, the Chrysler Building (see entry under 1920s—The Way We Lived in volume 2). But its clean lines and elegant "set-backs" are instantly recognized and admired around the world. In 1933, the film King Kong (see entry under 1930s—Film and Theater in volume 2) made the building a movie star. It has appeared in many films...