George Hammond, a pioneer in
refrigerated shipping, had his slaughterhouses in Hammond, Indiana, but he
brought his fortune back to his hometown to erect Detroit's first
skyscraper in 1890.
The ten-story building was the first in Detroit to employ a steel substructure, the true measure of skyscraper status.
Mr. Hammond died before ground was broken on this oddly-shaped lot at
the corner of Fort and Griswold, but his wife saw the job through. A familiar landmark to generations, the building came down in
1956, when National Bank of Detroit (now First Chicago NBD) squared off
the lot to put up its headquarters.
In 1908 the industrious photgraphers at The Detroit Publishing Company
climbed a tower on the roof of the Hammond Building and took a series of
shots that combine to make a 360 degree view of the city. Apparently,
these shots were to be used to make panoramic color postcards, a specialty
of The Detroit Publishing Company. Click here to load
this panorama. Please be patient, as this large file takes one or two
minutes to download; the highly-detailed view is worth the
wait!
