THE RIVERWALK: IT’S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
By Robert Reuland
2002 Graduate of Naperville North High School

I feel that one of the most significant events to occur in Wheatland or this surrounding township was the development of the Naperville Riverwalk along the banks of the Dupage River. This river played a significant role in Naperville’s past. It’s preservation and embellishment has been and continues to be key to the phenomenal growth that Naperville has experienced.

Many people my age take the Riverwalk for granted—as though it has been there from the beginning and will always be their for their enjoyment. Let’s turn back the clock for a moment. The Riverwalk as we know it today has developed from a plan first put forth in 1981 as part of Naperville’s sesquicentennial celebration. However, the foundation of the Riverwalk—the first germ of it’s concept—was put forth 50 years ago earlier to commemorate Naperville’s centennial in 1931. Then 32 Naperville citizens contributed $500 each to purchase land for a park. The group purchased land on the south side of Jackson Avenue, including an old quarry. The project became know as Centennial Beach, a unique recreational area in the downtown area.

In the early planning stages of Naperville’s Sesquicentennial, a river walk was selected as the lasting, living memorial to the City’s founders. Today, one of the most observed manifestations of the memorial aspect is the “Plow Monument” dedicated to Naperville’s founding farm families, located just south of the Eagle Street Bridge adjacent to the Centennial Beach facility.

As the Riverwalk expands in both size and sophistication, I would like to put forth a suggestion for future design consideration. That is, to dedicate a section of the Riverwalk to further commemorate Naperville’s agricultural heritage. One way of doing this would be through the use of crop plantings as ornamentals. I’ve noticed this trend in residential landscape design over the last several years. Strategic placement of two or three corn plants in a landscape makes a terrific accent and counterpoint to the manicured look of most ornamental landscapes. This planting design, along with the appropriate signage would go a long way to highlight our agricultural heritage.

A further development of this concept could employ historically correct, 1800’s style, vegetable and herb gardens. Perhaps these “vintage gardens” could be used in conjunction with a modern trial garden to display the latest innovations in vegetable plant breeding. Perhaps this trial garden could be endorsed by the All American Selections and the garden could become one of its nationally recognized trial gardens.

Resources:
www.napervilleriverwalk.com
A View of Historic Naperville from the Skylines, by Genevieve Towsley