Chances are, this isn’t the first—or last—time you’ll see this photo. The picture, called Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, first appeared in the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932. Since then, it’s become one of the most well-known (and most imitated) photographs in history. Taken during the Great Depression, the shot is often used to represent the resilience and toughness of American workers.
The men are perched on a steel beam 850 feet above a New York City street. They look so casual, as if snapped unexpectedly during a quick break from work. But was that really the case?
The answer is yes—and no. The men were real construction workers, just 11 of the 40,000 people who helped build Rockefeller Center, a huge office complex that still stands today. And they really were taking a break. But the break was so they could pose for a team of photographers hired to publicize the construction project.
Despite the photo’s fame, no one is certain which photographer took this particular shot or the names of most of the workers shown. But one thing’s for sure: The men weren’t afraid of heights!