Society gains law firm's historic safe, original lease

Representatives from Krieg DeVault, a law firm in Schererville, commemorated nearly 100 years of legal service in Northwest Indiana by presenting its historic office safe to the Hammond Historical Society.

The safe originally belonged to a predecessor firm, Galvin Galvin & Leeney, which merged with Krieg DeVault in 2002.

The historical society also was given the original copy of "Lease No. 1" dated Nov. 1, 1925, when Tim Galvin Sr. and his brother Frank Galvin and their partners became the first tenants in the then newly constructed nine-story office building in downtown Hammond.

The building was known originally as the First Trust & Savings Bank Building, later as the Bank Calumet Building and now is owned by First Midwest Bank.

Tim Galvin Sr. began practicing in Valparaiso in 1916.

Patrick Galvin, his son and a current partner in Krieg DeVault, is pleased by the donation.

"On behalf of the Galvin family and the law firm of Krieg DeVault, I am pleased that this fine old safe and the building lease from decades ago can be preserved as part of the history of Hammond and Northwest Indiana," he said in a news release.

Krieg DeVault, a law firm of 130 professionals providing legal services to businesses and individuals throughout Indiana and the nation, has offices in Schererville, Chicago, Indianapolis, Carmel and Noblesville.

- The Times