Rand McNally Building

The Rand McNally Building (1889–1911) in Chicago, designed by Burnham and Root, was the world's first all-steel framed skyscraper.

Rand McNally Building (center, #4) as seen in a Rand McNally "bird's eye" illustration, 1890s

The building was located at 160–174 Adams Street (on the south side between LaSalle and Wells) and also fronted #105–#119 on the backside (Quincy Street). It was erected in 1889 at a cost of $1 million. It was 45 m (148 ft) tall,[1] had 10 stories, 16 stores, and 300 offices, but the main tenant was Rand, McNally & Co., printers and publishers, with 900 employees. The general offices of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway were located here on the 2nd and 3rd floors,[2] as were the headquarters of the World's Columbian Exposition, on the 4th and 5th.[3] The Long Distance Telephone Company (Quincy Street side) allowed patrons the ability to telephone New York City, a novelty at the time.[4]

It was demolished in 1911 and a larger building of that era still stands on the site. For many years, it housed the headquarters of the City National Bank & Trust Company.