Elevators have been around for thousands of years—even the ancient Romans had pulley-based lifts. But the invention of the safety elevator in 1852 by Elisha Otis revolutionized modern cities.
Otis’ elevator included a fail-safe brake system that prevented it from falling if the cables broke. To prove its reliability, he dramatically demonstrated it at the 1854 World’s Fair, standing inside an elevator and cutting the rope—his safety mechanism worked, and the crowd went wild!
With the development of skyscrapers in the late 19th century, elevators became essential for urban growth, shaping the modern skyline as we know it today!
