Lincoln American Tower

Abstract

The Lincoln-America Tower was designed in 1924 by Isaac Albert Baum of the Boyer and Baum architecture firm. The building’s frame is made of steel and is covered in concrete. The outside is covered in a white terra cotta glaze. This gothic revival building is located on 60 North Main Street in the Center District of Downtown Memphis. The building features pilasters, four for structural support and three for visual effect. The reveals on said pilasters show where the steel frame is within the building. This tower features decorative bas-reliefs across the façade; the most noteworthy one is the two woman and two children modeled after his children. This building is a replica of New York’s Woolworth Building at one third the scale. Piers lead up to the pyramidal cap. There are highly ornamented cornices around the building. The building was converted to apartments in 2002, but was damaged by a fire in 2006. The fire lit the top few floors on fire including the roof. The renovations and repairs were finished in 2008, and tenants started moving in. To learn more see Memphis: An Architectural Guide by Eugene J. Johnson.