Reliance Building
Building in Chicago, Illinois. Built 1895 by Daniel Burnham. Added to the National Register in 1970, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
The Reliance Building is a skyscraper located at 1 W. Washington Street in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois. The first floor and basement were designed by John Root of the Burnham and Root architectural firm in 1890, with the rest of the building completed by Charles B. Atwood in 1895. It is the first skyscraper to have large plate glass windows covering the majority of its surface area—a design feature that became dominant in the 20th century.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 32 N. State St., Chicago, IL |
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1970 |
| Listed for | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 70000237 |
| Built | 1895 · more from the 1890s |
| Architect | Daniel Burnham, John Wellborn Root |
| Type of place | skyscraper, hotel |
| Style | Chicago School |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, Chicago Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 32 N. State St., Chicago, IL |
| Coordinates | 41.8828° N, 87.6285° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Chicago | 419 listed places in Chicago → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Pullman National Historical Park · 13 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | West Beach Picnic Shelters 28 miles · Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters 33 miles · Dunbar Group Site 35 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 2 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Cook County
Local history books for Chicago
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Illinois
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Reliance Building listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1970. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was Reliance Building built?
1895, designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root, in the Chicago School style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Reliance Building?
Yes. Reliance Building is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Reliance Building?
32 N. State St., Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. The nearest national park unit is Pullman National Historical Park, 13 miles away.
Source: Pullman National Historical Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Reliance Building?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Reliance Building?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Reliance Building?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is West Beach Picnic Shelters, 28 miles away. Chellberg Farm Picnic Shelters is 33 miles away, and Dunbar Group Site is 35 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Reliance Building?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 70000237. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.