Lincoln American Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lincoln American Tower |
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| Alternative names | Columbian Mutual Life Tower |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35°8′48.15″N 90°3′6.98″W / 35.1467083°N 90.0519389°W |
| Completed | 1924 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 290 feet (88 m) |
| Tip | 325 feet (99 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 22 |
| Floor area | 85,500 square feet (7,940 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Boyer & Baum; Issac Albert Baum |
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Lincoln American Tower
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| Location | 60 N. Main St., Memphis, Tennessee |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002631 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1978 |
The Lincoln American Tower is a tall, 22-story building in Memphis, Tennessee. You can find it at the corner of North Main and Court streets. This building is a special historical landmark. It was one of the very first skyscrapers in Memphis built with a strong steel frame.
The tower went through a big six-year repair project starting in 2002. Even after a fire in 2006, it is now open. People can live there or have offices. Today, the building has 31 apartments for homes. It also has three floors of offices for businesses. On the ground floor, you can find Ceriello Fine Foods, a store from New York.
Contents
History of the Tower
Early Site History
The spot where the tower stands has an interesting past. It is close to where the Irving Block Prison once stood. This prison was used during the American Civil War. The Union Army kept people who supported the Confederate side there. Freeing these prisoners was a main goal for Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest during the Second Battle of Memphis.
Building the Tower
In 1924, a man named Lloyd Binford had the tower built. He was the president of the Columbia Mutual Insurance Company in Memphis. This company later changed its name to the Lincoln American Insurance Company. The tall, white tower looked over Court Square. Binford later became well-known as the head of the Memphis Censor Board. He ran this board from his offices on the top floor of the building.
Becoming a Landmark
The Lincoln American Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it is an important historical site.
The 2006 Fire
On October 6, 2006, a fire damaged the building. Embers from a big fire at a nearby church flew several blocks. Strong winds carried them to the tower. This caused the top few floors and the roof to catch fire. A lot of smoke filled downtown Memphis. Another building nearby, the Court Annex, was completely destroyed by the same fire.
After the Fire
Even after the fire, the building's repairs continued. The first new tenants moved in during 2008. This was the Plough Foundation. They rented a large space of 4,358 square feet (404.9 m2) in the building.
Design of the Tower
The Lincoln American Tower looks like a smaller version of New York's Woolworth Building. It is about one-third the size.
See also
In Spanish: Lincoln American Tower para niños
