For 11 seconds, a man in work dungarees could have closed his eyes - and never looked again. Perched on a steel cable high above Manhattan, he tightened a bolt that secured the towering skyscraper of the Empire State Building together.
In a time when men such as Alfred Smith, John Jacob Raskob and Shreve Lamb & Harmon were driving ambitious projects forward, their vision for an unparalleled feat of engineering stood tall - literally. However, it was three thousand workers who made this dream possible: roughnecks known for their fearlessness in the face of great heights and hazardous working conditions.
Despite their crucial role in the construction process, these individuals have largely been overlooked in the history books. The man depicted in a famous photograph by Lewis Hine is now believed to be Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin - who had an ordinary life cut short at 46 due to a car accident that left him with a widow and two young children behind.
Kurtz examines Hines photographs, interviews family members of the men he photographed, and delves into census records, immigration and union documents as well as news archives from the time. These extensive investigations have shed new light on these unsung heroes whose courage helped give birth to one of America's most iconic landmarks.
There are no less compelling stories hidden within Men at Work than Gosselin's, for instance there is the case of Vladimir Kozloff - a Russian immigrant secretary who fought tirelessly for better working conditions and protections for the "House Wreckers Union". Or Matthew McKean, a Scottish carpenter who left behind everything, including his wife and two children, to work on the Empire State.
It's astonishing that in an era when history is made by those few at the top rather than the many who build them up, we do not know more about the people who truly built the Empire State. As Kurtz points out, these men are 'ordinary' - yet it's their skill and training which provided architectural history.
The Empire State Building has become an iconic symbol of America but its true story is a testament to human perseverance in the face of adversity.
In a time when men such as Alfred Smith, John Jacob Raskob and Shreve Lamb & Harmon were driving ambitious projects forward, their vision for an unparalleled feat of engineering stood tall - literally. However, it was three thousand workers who made this dream possible: roughnecks known for their fearlessness in the face of great heights and hazardous working conditions.
Despite their crucial role in the construction process, these individuals have largely been overlooked in the history books. The man depicted in a famous photograph by Lewis Hine is now believed to be Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin - who had an ordinary life cut short at 46 due to a car accident that left him with a widow and two young children behind.
Kurtz examines Hines photographs, interviews family members of the men he photographed, and delves into census records, immigration and union documents as well as news archives from the time. These extensive investigations have shed new light on these unsung heroes whose courage helped give birth to one of America's most iconic landmarks.
There are no less compelling stories hidden within Men at Work than Gosselin's, for instance there is the case of Vladimir Kozloff - a Russian immigrant secretary who fought tirelessly for better working conditions and protections for the "House Wreckers Union". Or Matthew McKean, a Scottish carpenter who left behind everything, including his wife and two children, to work on the Empire State.
It's astonishing that in an era when history is made by those few at the top rather than the many who build them up, we do not know more about the people who truly built the Empire State. As Kurtz points out, these men are 'ordinary' - yet it's their skill and training which provided architectural history.
The Empire State Building has become an iconic symbol of America but its true story is a testament to human perseverance in the face of adversity.
I mean, can you imagine being 3k workers high up on a steel cable with no safety gear and still managing to get the job done? 
It's crazy that their stories have been overlooked for so long. I wonder what other hidden histories are out there waiting to be uncovered 
The fact that they risked their lives every day for an average of $5 a week is just insane. 
The lack of recognition for their hard work is insane, especially considering how much we know about the CEOs who built this thing but who cares about the people who actually made it happen? 
. but hey at least now we're learnin more about these unsung heroes 
like Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin, who died in a car accident at 46, leavin his wife & kids behind 
. we should totes be recognizin the impact they had on American history 
!
it's wild. And yeah, these guys are literally the unsung heroes of American history - we need to give them more recognition ASAP 
But seriously, it's crazy that people like Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin, Vladimir Kozloff, and Matthew McKean are basically forgotten by history. Like, what even happened to them after the Empire State was built? 
They were literally the backbone of this incredible feat of engineering. And it's not just about their bravery or skill, but also their personal sacrifices – leaving behind families, loved ones... it's wild. I think we can all learn from these stories and appreciate the people who made these iconic structures possible 
. But at the same time, it's a reminder that sometimes history gets lost in the shuffle 
.
.