Bradbury Building

The Bradbury Building rises from the corner of South Broadway with a facade of brown brick, sandstone, and terra cotta that seems muted against the street. Inside, a cavernous Victorian court reveals iron open-cage elevators and marble stairs bathed in sunlight from a massive skylight. Mining millionaire Lewis Bradbury commissioned the structure in eighteen ninety-three, hiring an amateur draftsman named George Wyman after rejecting designs from established architects. Wyman reportedly took the job after receiving a message he believed came from his deceased brother.