The ancient Greeks first came up with the notion of an elevator, a crude device operated by ropes and pulleys. By the mid-18th century, industrial elevators were being powered by steam. In 1853, the Otis Elevator Company was founded in the United States, and that's when these vertical transport machines really took off. Today, some of the most stunning and original examples of civil engineering are found in the shape of elevators. So, do you need a lift?
Click through and ride the up and down history of the elevator.