What were the tallest buildings in the world from the earliest skyscrapers (circa 1985) until the Park Row Building took honors in 1899? I've been looking for a long time, here's what I got:

- 1875 - NY Tribune Building

- ? - Masonic Temple in Chicago

- 1890 - NY World Building

- ?

- 1899 - Park Row Building

• ID# 22.2 (reply to #22.1) - 7 Apr 1998
  According to Barry Sears's article in Antiques & Collecting, the Masonic Temple dated from 1892.
  He also mentions the 1899 St. Paul Building which "brought the title "World's Tallest" to New York": "A narrow, 25-story neo-Classical tower by famed architect George B. Post, it was eclipsed a few months later by the neighboring Park Row Building". And I have one nagging doubt that whether this is... Hum, never mind. ED.
  • ID# 22.5 (reply to #22.1) - 12 Jan 1999
    The St. Paul Building (1897-99) was replaced in 1959 by the 222 Broadway by Emery Roth & Sons. ED

• ID# 22.3 (reply to #22.1)
  From: Scott Murphy ([email protected]) - 23 Jun 1998
  See http://www.skyscraper.org/skyscraper/tallest.html.

• ID# 22.4 (reply to #22.1)
  From: nate ([email protected]) - 1 Oct 1998
  The best resource I've found on that topic is Sarah Bradford and Carl Condit's book: The Rise of the New York Skyscraper. It is essential for historical research on skyscrapers and few books approach the depth of research accomplished.