History:
In 1831, Captain Joseph Naper journeyed westward from Ohio and discovered the wooded banks of the winding DuPage River. He gathered together his family and a few other pioneer families and built a cabin and developed a saw mill and trading post. This marked the beginning of Naperville.
George Martin was the first man to use the land we now know as Centennial Beach. He originally started digging for limestone on the edge of town in 1833. Much of the limestone was used in building foundations around town and can still be seen throughout much of the architecture today.
In Naperville, the quarrying of stone was the chief industry. Steam pumps worked constantly to keep out pure spring water so the stone could be quarried the next day.
The site that is now known as Centennial Beach was quarried until 1913 when the water from natural springs from beneath the surface began leaking in.
In 1931, Naperville resident Judge Win Knoch proposed the purchase of the original Von Oven property in honor of the city's 100th birthday. The parcel included 45 acres and two abandoned quarries on the western edge of town. The name “Centennial Beach” seemed an appropriate acknowledgement of the fact that the land was gifted to the city for its centennial celebration.
During the height of the Great Depression in the 1930s, a permanent memorial committee was appointed to oversee the acquisition and development of the land. It consisted of Chairman Judge Win Knoch, William R. Friedrich, E.J.T. Moyer, John W. Bauer, T.F. Boecher, Sr. and Dr. C.S. Whitehead. The committee and local citizens funded the purchase of the land that became Centennial Beach by each contributing $500 for a total donation of $16,500.
Development of the land parcel as a swimming facility began in 1932 with the assistance of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which facilitated its construction. Centennial Beach was opened for public use later that same summer.
When the Beach first opened, Naperville residents enjoyed free admission. Many Beach goers also traveled from miles away, some by train, just to swim at the facility. Admission fees were 10 cents for children and 35 cents for adults; the fee increased to 50 cents on holidays. The first year the Beach was open, it brought in more than $6000 in revenue.
In 1934, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) completed the bathhouse, built from limestone taken from the quarry at the facility's western edge.
The completed bathhouse had stone steps leading down to the swimming area. The shallow section included a sandy area and the deep section had three anchored rafts, a 12-foot diving tower, two spring boards and one lifeguard stand. The Beach's first water show, known as an Aquathon, was hosted to honor the completion of the bathhouse. The Aquathon showcased the talents of community members performing comedy water ballet, water skiing, synchronized swimming and more.
In 1969, the Naperville Park District, which was organized in 1966, assumed responsibility for Centennial Beach, taking it over from the City of Naperville. Years of use had led to the facility's deterioration, and at the time, the Park District considered plans to limit the Beach to the activities of boating and fishing.
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