The Register is maintained by the US National Park Service, and is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.
This is Long Grove’s first listing on the prestigious register and only the second one in Vernon Township (the Adlai Stevenson home is the other listed property).
The celebration originally planned for July 12th has been postponed to give the bridge time to recover from it’s recent bout with an over-size truck. When the bridge is back in good health, we’ll announce plans for an event to properly celebrate the designation.
Here’s a link to the notice put out by the National Park Service:
https://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20180615.htm
The following joint press release (Long Grove Historical Society & Historical Downtown Long Grove Business Association) was issued yesterday when we got the news:
PRESS RELEASE June 15, 2018
MEDIA CONTACT:
Angie Underwood, President, Long Grove Historical Society
847-478-5140; angie@longGroveHistory.org
http://savethebridge.net/
Ryan Messner,Vice-President, Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association
847-793-0041
rmessner@visitlonggrove.com
Long Grove’s Iconic Covered Bridge listed in National Register of Historic Places
The National Park Service has announced today that the Buffalo Creek Bridge, more commonly known as the Long Grove Covered Bridge, is being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is the first property in Long Grove to receive this prestigious designation.
Originally constructed in 1906 by the Joliet Bridge and Iron Company, the bridge is one of only two remaining of its kind in the greater Chicagoland area. Grass roots efforts for historic preservation and national recognition were rekindled early in 2017 when some local officials questioned the historic value of the one-lane bridge and favored a plan that would require removal of the current structure and increase truck and auto traffic through the pedestrian friendly downtown. In April of 2017, Landmarks Illinois, named the bridge to their annual “List of Endangered Historic Places.” A change.org petition urging local officials to save the historic bridge gathered over 4,900 signatures/testimonials and a fund-raising campaign has raised over $50,000 in monetary donations and pledges. Despite these efforts, local officials remain undecided on a long term course of action to restore or replace the bridge.
“For many years, the Long Grove Historical Society has been at the forefront of efforts to receive this designation, and we are thrilled to hear the news. Achieving National Register status confirms our belief in the bridge’s historical value as well as the sentimental value we know it holds for our community. This is a source of pride for all of Long Grove and we will continue to advocate for preservation of our beloved covered bridge,” noted Historical Society President Angie Underwood.
Ryan Messner, Vice-President of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association added, “It’s our icon and our brand. For decades, Long Grove was a destination, and now the general feeling is that with the recent new business openings we’ve turned the corner and are solidly on our way back. It’d be foolish to destroy this treasure that has now been recognized with national historical status, and open up the quaint downtown to cut through traffic.”
An impromptu public celebration will be held in the coming weeks. Please check the Long Grove Historical Society website at LongGroveHistory.org for updated details. More information about the bridge and the efforts to save it can be found online at SaveTheBridge.net
