It may be hard to believe, but the modern elevator is close to 150 years old. The first elevators were produced in the mid 1800s. They raised and lowered their cars using a system of hydraulic pumps, but this was inherently dangerous because there was nothing to prevent a collapse of the elevator if the pumps failed. Then Elisha Otis invented the first safety elevator in 1852. Otis’ elevator prevented the car from falling in case of an error. Elisha Otis is considered to be the father of the modern elevator because of his work in designing elevators. Otis’ first passenger elevator was installed in a building in New York City in 1857. In 1880, a German company invented the first electric elevator. This breakthrough allowed companies to build elevators that only required access to electricity. They were more compact because they did not require big pumps. Electric elevators were safer and were similar to an elevator you might use today.
At the beginning of the 20th century, trained professionals were needed to operate elevators. These workers would dock the lift on the appropriate floor. They would also announce which businesses or offices were on a floor. An elevator that allowed a passenger to press a button and move the elevator to the selected floor would not be invented until the 1950s.
The true benefit of this invention can be seen in large cities like New York City or London, where people live and work inside tall buildings. Elevators allow quick and easy access between floors. In these busy buildings, hundreds of people might exit or enter an elevator at any given second. Moving around tall buildings wouldn’t be the same without such an efficient and necessary invention!