Springfield Then & Now: Hull Plaza

This 1906 photo shows the nine-story building at 4 W. Main Street on the northwest corner of Fountain Avenue and Main Street under construction.

Originally called the Fairbanks, it was constructed by the Fairbanks Building Co. and was first home to the American Trust and Savings Bank and the Fairbanks Theater and retail and office space. Although most tenants opened in 1907 and 1908, the official grand opening was held in October 1909 and thousands of people crowded the building to catch a glimpse of the interior and to look out at the city from tallest building.