By Ricky Rieckert
Welcome readers,
As we start this week, I was pleased to see the last edition, with my birthday, July 10, on it.
I received several phone calls, texts and cards from several people. To them: Thank-you.
This week, as promised, we’ll be looking at the history of bridges in Aurora.
Let’s start with North Avenue, which I wrote about the previous week.
Originally a part of the early settlement of McCarty Mills, (later Aurora), the street saw the construction of an iron bridge in the 1880s funded by the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad.
Many concrete bridges were constructed between 1911 and 1931, including bridges at Illinois Avenue, North Avenue, New York Street, Main Street (now Galena Boulevard), and Benton Street.
Almost all the concrete bridges had been rebuilt to match the original designs and materials, including railings and light fixtures for each bridge to keep with the historic fabric of Aurora’s early 20th Century downtown commercial district.
These bridges, especially those over the Fox River, were crucial for connecting Aurora and facilitated the movement of goods and manufacturing for future development.
They have connected existing neighborhoods with redeveloped areas, such as RiverEdge Park and the Aurora Transportation Center.
Other bridges in Aurora, not previously mentioned, are Downer Place, (old Fox Street), a downtown bridge. Ashland Avenue (outskirts of Montgomery), Indian Trail, and the newest, Sullivan Road (outskirts of North Aurora).
During the beginning of the 20th. Century, there was a lot of flooding in downtown Aurora. The bridges, sidewalks, and the streets had to be raised to accommodate the flooding waters.
There used to be an alley on the west side of the Paramount Theatre, that ran between Downer Place (old Fox Street) to the north to Galena Boulevard (old Main Street), all the way through.
In 1979, we had a lot of snow and freezing weather that winter. I remember having to thaw the frozen sewer pipe at The Cove Tavern, on Downer Place, near the Historical Society.
The tavern was owned by Bud Dixon, a lifetime Auroran. In the aforementioned alley on the west side of the Paramount Theatre, there was access to the lower level of the businesses on Downer Place (basements now).
While in the lower level of The Cove Tavern, on the street side of the bar, was a door that once was ground level, to walk out to the sidewalk to Fox Street (now Downer Place). The door doesn’t go anywhere now, and is covered up and a part of the wall.
Have a great week!
More on bridges next week.