John W. Bowser a Canadian who oversaw the building of the iconic Empire State Building

On my walk at the beautiful Aurora Cemetery in Aurora, Ontario, I discovered a grave marked by a miniature replica of the Empire State Building. This is the final resting place of John W. Bowser.

In what is now Aurora, Ontario, John Bowser rose to international prominence as the chief construction engineer of the Empire State Building—the 102-story Art Deco masterpiece that still defines the New York City skyline.

Under Bowser’s leadership, construction of the Empire State Building was completed ahead of schedule and officially opened on May 1, 1931. At the time, it was the tallest building in the world, reaching a height of 1,454 feet (443.2 m), and came in at a total cost of $40,948,900.

Known to friends and colleagues as “Jack,” Bowser returned home to Ontario after completing other major projects in New York and went on to found his own successful construction company in Aurora, which he ran until his death in 1956.

John W. Bowser died in Aurora, Ontario on March 30, 1956. He was 64.

1892-1956