Born Today: The Father of the American Skyscraper

September 25 is the birthday of skyscraper architect William Le Baron Jenney, born in 1832. Years before Frank Lloyd Wright, Jenney designed a Swiss Chalet style home with an innovative open floor plan. However, Jenney is best known for his towering commercial buildings.

^{Photo: Leiter Building (II) - Sears, Roebuck & Company Building - in Chicago. William Le Baron Jenney, architect. © Mary Ann Sullivan, Digital Imaging Project}