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Century Walk
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Century Walk artists find inspiration in Naperville's history.
The sidewalks of downtown Naperville provide a walking tour of the city's past. Murals, mosaics and sculptures tell the story of Naperville's past 100 years. Since 1996, the Century Walk art project has added 30 pieces of art to downtown environs using paint, ceramics, bronze, clay and glass to depict some of the city's most important people, places and events. "It's art with a story," says Century Walk founder Brand Bobosky, a local lawyer. His inspiration came from a Canadian town whose painted murals drew enough tourist traffic to revive a sagging economy. Naperville was thriving in the mid-90's, but Bobosky noticed visitors to the downtown Riverwalk often left without venturing into any shops or restaurants. He persuaded property owners to offer their buildings as canvases. With the help of a board of directors, a $10,000 grant from the Illinois Arts Council and $30,000 from the Naperville City Council, the first three works were unveiled - a pair of mosaic-tiled benches, a relief sculpture of the Naperville Municipal Band and a mural depicting the city's publishing past.
During the next ten years, Bobosky and the Century Walk board would secure sites, line up artists and suggest themes, including: A glass-tile mosaic representing local farms on Main Street; a sculpture depicting tools of industry next to the Jefferson Hill Shops; and on the side of The Lantern tavern, a giant mural called "ACity in Transit." Other themes have included a rural one room schoolhouse teacher, a college football star, historic cars, a popular newspaper columnist and the thoughts and dreams of Naperville school children; other tributes are to paid to local veterans, merchants, service clubs, musicians and citizen visionaries. The Century Walk board searches for local artists, finding them in Naperville, Wheaton, Chicago and other areas such as Colorado and California. "So many people aren't aware we have such great sculptors and painters," said Dee Pasternak,who was a member of the Century Walk board and charter member of the Naperville Art League. From conception to dedication, the legwork behind each artwork consumes a year of work. A few pieces have come to Century Walk from outside groups, including three artworks installed in the 1980's around Nichols Library. In 2001, North Central College alumni proposed and coordinated installation of the William Schatzer statue, honoring a star football player and war hero. A sculpture honoring local businessman James Wehrli, and another depicting a World War I doughboy, made their way into the art circuit after Century Walk's first fountain - a recycling-themed piece at Main Street Promendade. Business leaders compliment Century Walk for making shopping in downtown Naperville an enjoyable experience. Kids try to read the writing on the reporter's notebook on the statue outside Barnes & Noble. Adults stop and sit on the Kroehler lounges, walk through the one-room schoolhouse or pose next to the horse at Naper Settlement. "It's an integral part of the downtown ambiance," says Mike Skarr, president of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. "It's one more thing to do, one more thing to see."
The Naperville Community Concert Center is one of these things to see. It provides the perfect canvas for a murial of residents who have made a difference in the Naperville community as well as the Naperville Municipal Band which will celbrate its 150 years of existence in 2009.
Now in its eleventh year, Naperville's Century Walk has reached its goal of adding 30 works of art to downtown Naperville in its Phase I. Organizers have averaged adding add three pieces each year, choosing artwork that reflects the people, places and events of 20th century life in Naperville.
Recent Additions Are At:
121 S. Washington Street, on the north facing side: A painted murial depicting historic business and buildings, in a sixties setting entitled "The Way We Were".
Fredenhagen Park: Statues of Walter and Grace Fredenhagen, owners of the property which was the original site of Prince Castle and Cock Robin Ice Cream. Sponsored in part by the Rotary Club of Naperville.
35 South Washington Street, upper portion of north face of Catch 35 Restaurant: A painted murial paying tribute to the service clubs of Naperville, depicting their logos and scenes idenifying each clubs contribution to the Naperville community. A
Washington Junior High School - Officer Friendly: A Tribute to a local icon, A. George Pradel, who developed the successful Safety Town.
DuPage Childrens Museum: A kinetic sculpture of gigantic proportions featuring a steam engine with a cow-catch as it "Parts the Prairie". The locomotive's wheels turn and a band car pumps up and down as kids operate from 12 feet below.
Near the Main Street Bridge on the Riverwalk is a sculpture entitled "Riverwalk Visionaries" which depicts the public-private partnership between businessman Jim Moser and Mayor Chet Rybicki.
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Phone: 630.305.7701, Toll-Free: 877-23NAPER, Fax: 630.305.7793, Email: ncvb@naper.org |
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