Fort Johnston

Historical marker location:

127 E Prospect Ave, Ottawa, Illinois

( Memorial is on East Prospect Avenue west of Catherine Street, on the right when traveling east.)

The world's first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1884. It was only 10 stories tall, but it was the first building to use a steel frame to support its weight, which allowed it to be much taller than traditional buildings made of brick or stone.