ElevatorThe elevator was installed to provide access to the first and second floors in an area of the home where there were no internal obstructions. The first floor opening is located in the Butler's pantry outside of the Breakfast Room, while the second floor opening is located in a closet between the North Bedroom and the Primary Bathroom. Installation occurred in the late 1940s as Ida McFaddin experienced mobility challenges. The elevator allowed Ida full access of the first and second floors, including to her own bedroom and bathroom.
The first elevator was installed in New York's Haughwout Department Store in 1857. The steam powered elevator only traveled about 40 feet per minute and seemed rather unsafe to the public at large, therefore, it wasn't a widely utilized innovation. Then in 1859, Otis Tufts filed the first patent for a "vertical railway." A patent for a simpler design was filed in 1861 by Elisha Otis, this version including plans for a safety break. Now with enhanced safety features, public support grew resulting in the installation of an elevator in the eight story Equitable Life Building in downtown Manhattan, the first office building to feature elevators from the design stage. Otis Elevator Company, still the largest manufacturer of vertical elevators, created elevators controlled by hydraulics. Today's elevators are electric traction.
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