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420 Main Tower Holds Childhood Memories for Evansville Woman

John Gibson

An Evansville woman remembers her late father as crews prepare to implode the 420 Main Building in Downtown Evansville. 

Harry Lukens owned Lukens and Sons Insurance, which was housed on the 14th floor of the former Old National Bank Tower before moving up to the 17th floor of the 18-story building.

Lukens’ daughter, Laura Spillman, has fond memories of her dad’s office.

"The office on the 17th floor was very grand. It had a fireplace, it had its own bathroom, a lot of woodwork."

Spillman remembers watching Fourth-of-July fireworks from the building as well as special events in the top-floor Petroleum Club.

"Many birthday celebrations up there, I think I ate there before my sernior prom. So, any kind of big  celebration was always done at the Petroleum Club."

Like many Evansville residents, Spillman says she’s sorry to see the tower go. She recently took some photos for keepsakes.

"I think my dad would be really sad to see that it was going down. I have obviously a lot of great memories there. It's a piece of my childhood. So I do feel like a piece of my childhood is going down with the building."

Crews plan to implode the tower November 21st as part of a six-story commercial-residential development.

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