Dr. Lee Gray
Dr. Lee Gray, professor of Architectural History and senior associate dean of the College of Arts + Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, has written more than 200 monthly articles on the history of vertical transportation (VT) for ELEVATOR WORLD since 2003. He is also the author of From Ascending Rooms to Express Elevators: A History of the Passenger Elevator in the 19th Century. He also serves as curator of theelevatormuseum.org, created by Elevator World, Inc.
Gurney Elevator, Part Two
Part One of this article (ELEVATOR WORLD, May 2013) traced the history of Gurney Elevator Co. from Howard Gurney’s purchase of National Elevator and Machine Co. in 1905 to his...
Gurney Elevator, Part One
Gurney Elevator Co., founded by Howard F. Gurney in 1905, was an important independent regional manufacturer and recognized as an industry leader in the opening decades of the 20th century....
Emergency Access to Elevator Shafts
Last month’s history article, “A 1950s Haughton Elevator,” referenced a 1937 drawing that depicted an “emergency release” located in the hallway, was intended for “fire department and emergency use only”...
Elevatoring Communications Towers: 1956-1968
The infrastructure that supports modern communications systems (TV, telephone and radio) has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Television antennae have vanished from rooftops, satellites and satellite dishes have...
Early Elevator Plants in New York City
A wealth of evidence concerning 19th century elevators survives. This evidence includes patents, line drawings, engravings and photographs of elevator machines and system components. However, very little that reveals how...
CTBUH 9th World Congress “Asia Ascending: Age of the Sustainable Skyscraper”
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) event features vertical- transportation sessions by industry leaders. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) held its 9th World...
“Elevator Passenger Transfer Time Study” (1957)
The thesis of John W. Persohn, which focused on upper-floor passenger transfer time, is examined. The 1950s witnessed the critical shift from attendant-operated to fully automatic, or operator-less, elevators. The...
The 1958 Atomium Escalators and Elevator
The vertical transportation of this famous, unique Brussels structure is given a thorough examination. The Atomium, a unique building designed for the 1958 Brussels Universal and International Exhibition, has appeared...
Talking Elevators
The public’s response to talking-elevator systems developed by Westinghouse and Otis during the 1950s The introduction of “operatorless” elevators in the 1950s fundamentally changed the experience of riding an elevator:...
Elevator Selection and Analysis in 1898, Part One
An overview of William H. Bryan’s “The Mechanical Plant of a Modern Commercial Building” In December 1898, William H. Bryan (1859-1910) presented a paper titled “The Mechanical Plant of a...
