Striking images have emerged from the 1930s construction of Rockefeller Center in New York City. The photos depict a group of construction workers perched high atop a steel beam, hundreds of feet in the air. The captivating shots show the workers in various poses: enjoying a casual lunch, raising their hats in celebration, and even taking a break by lying down. The location? A dizzying 200 meters above ground, on the 69th floor of what is now known as the GE Building.

The mystery surrounding the photographer adds to the intrigue. While Charles Clyde Ebbets was initially credited in 2003, this has since been disputed. The identity of the photographer who captured these daring images remains unknown. The authenticity of the scene itself has also been debated. Some believe the workers truly braved the heights without safety measures, a testament to their fearlessness during the Great Depression.

However, prevailing evidence suggests the photos were staged for a promotional campaign by the Rockefeller family, seeking to attract tenants to the newly constructed complex. The workers, facing limited job opportunities in the Depression era, likely agreed to participate for a fee.

Further theories propose the photos might be cleverly manipulated. Some experts believe the workers may have been photographed individually on a lower level, then superimposed onto a background image of the beam to create the illusion of them being at such a height. Another theory suggests the workers might have been professional acrobats hired specifically for the promotional shoot, though there’s no documented evidence to support this claim.

Regardless of the methods used, these captivating photos offer a glimpse into a bygone era of construction and capture the awe-inspiring scale of the Rockefeller Center project. The workers’ apparent nonchalance at such a perilous height continues to amaze and intrigue viewers to this day.