The name "Flatiron" is because it looks like a old-fashioned cast iron clothes iron. The building has been called "[o]ne of the world's most iconic skyscrapers, and a quintessential symbol of New York City". It gives its name to the neighborhood around it, known as the Flatiron District. It has become an icon of New York City. The building was designated a New York City landmark in 1966. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.