A Visual Journey Through the 1929 Construction of Radio City Music Hall

The plans for Radio City Music Hall began in late 1929 as part of the Rockefeller Center project. John D. Rockefeller Jr. signed a long-term lease for the land from Columbia University just before the stock market crashed. Despite the economic downturn, the construction moved forward under the leadership of Samuel “Roxy” Rothafel. The goal was to build the largest indoor theater in the world.

Excavation and Steel Framework

Workers cleared a site that was once occupied by rows of brownstone houses. Steam shovels dug deep into the Manhattan schist bedrock to create a foundation strong enough to support the massive structure. Steelworkers then assembled a skeleton of heavy girders. The auditorium required a clear span without any pillars to block the view. To achieve this, engineers used massive steel trusses that stretched across the entire width of the ceiling.

Designing the Great Stage

The stage design was the most complex part of the 1929 plans. It was built as a series of three separate hydraulic elevators. These lifts allowed entire sets or groups of performers to rise from the basement to the stage level during a show. Peter Clark, an expert in stage machinery, designed the system using heavy-duty pistons. A fourth elevator was built specifically to raise and lower the entire orchestra.

#1 Radio City Music Hall under construction, New York.

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#2 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#3 Construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#4 Demolition of old buildings to make way for Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#5 Silhouettes of steel workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#6 Silhouettes of steel workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#7 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#8 Construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#9 Silhouettes of workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#10 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#11 Silhouettes of workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#12 Crane dredge performing excavation during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#13 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#14 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall with St. Patrick’s Cathedral in the background, New York, 1929.

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#15 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#16 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#17 Workers during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#18 Construction workers at Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#19 Construction workers at Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#20 Night crew drilling rock foundations during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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#21 Men welding during the construction of Radio City Music Hall, New York, 1929.

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