From The Windows, Wires And Scaffolding

July 7, 1946: Robert Maxey and Stanley Medwid clean windows on the tenth floor of the Lexington Building. They are securred by their safety belts which are fastened to two little knobs on the sash frames. The squeegee, when not in use, is carried on the hip. (Photo by Albert D. Cochran). Click to enlarge.

From the windows, wires, steel and scaffolding: Acrobats with paint brushes. High riders. Steel painters. Window washers. Scaffolding climbers. No matter what you call them, these brave souls have challenged our photographers to create interesting angle-filled images over the years. Click all pictures to supersize.

Aug. 30, 1970: Charlie Carroll wipes one clean. (Ellis J. Malashuk). Click to enlarge.

Feb. 27, 1976: A precarious perch for the window washer cleaning the exterior of the Dept. of transit and Traffic at Calvert and Bath. (Carl D. Harris - Sunpaper) Click to enlarge.

No caption filed. (Baltimore Sun file photo). Click to enlarge.

April 12, 1957: Spring cleaning time for these window washers. (Robert F. Kniesche). Click to enlarge.

From Chicago to New York: Alex Henderson, window washer at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, talks in a microphone to a brother window washer at the Empire State Building in NYC. The radio conversation was arranged by the National Broadcasting Company as the Chicago window washer and the NYC washer touted their trade. Click to enlarge.

Oct. 8, 1972: Window washers require a scaffold to work on the First National Bank Building at Light and Redwood streets. With modern windows taking up more and more space in new construction a window washer's work downtown can keep him very busy. (Sun file). Click to enlarge.

June 4, 1964: Window washers Nick Murdich and Bob Cave, seen from the One Charles Center window, lean in at the 22nd floor. At the end of the scaffolding, railed enclosures called "buckets" hold motors, cables, and electric cord. Rollers fit behind beams to hold scaffold close to the building. (Ellis Malashuk). Click to enlarge.