Information
Landmark: Century WalkCity: Naperville
Country: USA Illinois
Continent: North America
Century Walk, Naperville, USA Illinois, North America
Overview
Century Walk is a public art project in Naperville, Illinois, where you can wander past more than 50 sculptures and murals scattered through the brick-lined streets of downtown and nearby neighborhoods.Since its start in 1996 as a nonprofit, the Century Walk Corporation has brought Naperville’s history and present to life with sculptures, murals, mosaics, reliefs, and mixed-media pieces-each tucked into a corner, plaza, or sidewalk where anyone can see them.It aims to honor the city’s heritage and rich mix of cultures, guiding visitors on a self-paced art walk where murals and markers bring to life the people, events, and values that have shaped more than 180 years of history.Century Walk set out to place 100 public artworks over the course of a century, using sculptures, murals, and other pieces to celebrate Naperville’s history, civic achievements, and unique cultural character.Century Walk may take cues from other urban public art projects, but it stands apart by telling Naperville’s own stories-murals painted with the help of neighbors, funded through donations, and backed by local businesses and city partnerships.Each piece sits in a busy spot where people pass by, paired with a sign, a scannable QR code, or a short audio clip to bring the story to life.The artwork centers on themes of business and industry, capturing Naperville’s early entrepreneurial spirit - a shopfront with worn wooden signs comes to mind.Community Life: Bringing everyday moments and cherished values from different eras to life-like the clink of teacups in a 1920s kitchen.Education and innovation: honoring how learning sparks progress, like the moment a new idea clicks into place.Public Service: We celebrate police officers, firefighters, veterans, and civic leaders-the people who stand watch, answer alarms, and guide our communities.Diversity and inclusion come alive in the city’s vibrant mix of cultures, from the scent of fresh spices in the market to voices speaking a dozen languages.Celebrating the hard work and wins of local students and athletes, from classroom honors to the roar of the crowd after a game.Here are a few standout pieces-one catches the light like polished brass-starting with installation number one."Naperville Loves a Parade" (2012) splashes color across the south wall of Rubins Way, just steps from 255 S Main Street, bringing to life the town’s parade with bright banners and smiling faces.More than 300 local residents come to life in vivid, lifelike brushstrokes-even the wrinkles at the corners of their eyes seem real.Norman Rockwell’s influence shines through in this piece, a true favorite in the collection, with colors that feel warm as a sunlit kitchen.Number two.The Way We Were (2005) - tucked in an alley off Washington Street - captures downtown Naperville as it looked in the 1960s, with neat rows of storefronts, gleaming chrome bumpers, and the sharp lines of mid-century fashion, a vivid glimpse into a bygone era.Number three stood alone, small and sharp as a pencil tip.Century Walk, installed in 1999 outside Nichols Library at Jackson and Webster, is a bronze sidewalk piece by Gregg LeFevre featuring 36 plaques set into the pavement, each capturing a slice of local history or a landmark moment.It’s a visual timeline tracing Naperville’s growth, from dusty dirt roads to bustling streets lined with bright shopfronts.Number four.In 2018, *Ladder of Light* was installed at Firemen’s Memorial Park, 1072 W., where sunlight catches its edges by late afternoon.On Jefferson Avenue, a nighttime display glows in memory of four firefighters lost in a 1970 fire truck crash.Two vertical beams of light rise like the rails of a ladder, a quiet tribute that speaks of courage and the ache of loss.Number five.Painted on the outside wall of Sullivan’s Steakhouse in 2021, the Naperville Notable Athletes Mural honors 15 local sports legends-from Olympic medalists to NFL stars-capturing their achievements in bold color.The artwork celebrates everyone’s place in the community, sparking pride like the warm glow of lights strung across the town square.Number six.The World War II Memorial, built in 2003 in Central Park, honors the men and women of Naperville who served in the war, their names etched in cool gray stone.It holds engraved names alongside a bronze sculpture, its surface catching the light, a tribute to resilience and sacrifice.Seven.Streaming History (2013), located at the Naperville Public Library’s Nichols branch, is a mixed-media mosaic that captures the steady current of time and information, honoring the library as a vibrant hub of knowledge and community service.At Art Experience, visitors can wander through the Century Walk collection, guided by printed maps, QR codes posted beside each piece, smartphone audio tours, or interactive online guides with artist bios, historical notes, and behind-the-scenes stories.The artwork lines the pedestrian-friendly streets of downtown Naperville, with a few sculptures tucked into leafy parks, civic buildings, and schools across the city.Century Walk has brought in more than 45 artists to create its pieces, including several whose names you might spot in galleries across the country.Artists team up with city historians, talk with neighbors over coffee, and visit local classrooms to keep their work authentic and meaningful.The Century Walk features artists like Marla Hand, who painted the vibrant “Naperville Loves a Parade” mural, Bill Cooper with his lifelike bronze sculptures, Gregg LeFevre’s urban designs and public art, and Bart Gunderson’s intricate reliefs and architectural pieces.It’s powered by local support-neighbors chipped in donations, posed as models, and filled workshops with the scent of fresh paint.Students, artists, and residents join unveiling ceremonies, while partners include the Naperville Park District, Downtown Naperville Alliance, Naperville Heritage Society, veterans’ groups, and local schools and colleges.The headquarters sits at 34 W. You’ll find us at Chicago Avenue, Suite B, Naperville, IL 60540-call (630) 355‑5555.Most installations sit outdoors, open to wander through in any season, even under winter snow.Some sit tucked inside semi-public or private buildings, open to visitors only during regular business hours-like a quiet lobby you can step into before the afternoon rush.Century Walk isn’t just a cluster of artworks-it’s a living tribute to Naperville’s community spirit, weaving history, art, and storytelling into the streets where neighbors pass under painted murals and bronze figures every day.Whether you’re visiting, living here, or studying, you’ll step into a cultural journey and a civic story that’s still unfolding-like the quiet hum of a market at dusk, always growing, always changing.
