Chances are, if you live in Downers Grove, you’ve crossed the familiar footbridge in Maple Grove at least once. With its concrete deck and simple wooden rails, the bridge has quietly served generations of walkers, bikers, families, and ballplayers making their way over St. Joseph Creek.
Built sometime in the early 1900s, the bridge was originally designed as a pipe bridge, carrying a sewer pipe across the water. Over the decades, it became a pedestrian pathway—an unassuming but essential connection, not just for hikers but also for players and fans moving between the two ball fields it links. In the 1960s, ownership of the bridge was assumed by the Forest Preserve District, which has maintained it since.
For many, the bridge is more than just a way across the creek—it’s a memory. One longtime resident reflected, “How many times I have held my breath as I approach the narrow entrance on my bike. ‘Please help me stay straight to get across this narrow bridge!’” That nervous thrill, the fear of wobbling into the wooden guardrails, and the peaceful view of the water below are part of what makes saying goodbye bittersweet.
Now, this piece of local history is nearing the end of its service. The narrow bridge, which allows only a few people to cross at a time, is showing its age. Structural deterioration, combined with the fact that it regularly traps debris as the creek flows downstream, has made replacement a necessity. Plans are underway for a new, safer structure that will continue to connect the heart of Maple Grove.
If you haven’t crossed the bridge recently, now is the time. Visit Maple Grove, take in the view, and savor a quiet moment on a humble landmark that’s been part of our community for more than a century.
