Join Us for a Conversation: Preserving and Reactivating Chicago's Bridgehouses

For more than a century, Chicago's iconic bridgehouses have stood watch over the river, serving as symbols of the city's engineering ingenuity and its enduring connection to the Chicago-Calumet River system. While the bridges themselves remain active, many of the small buildings that once housed bridge operators now sit vacant, offering untapped opportunities to reconnect people with the river and the neighborhoods around them.

On Thursday, July 23, a Happy Hour Speaker Series at the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum will explore how these historic structures can once again become vibrant community spaces during a special presentation, Preserving and Reactivating Chicago's Bridgehouses for Community.

As part of the Bridgehouse Museum's 20th anniversary celebration, Preservation Chicago Executive Director Ward Miller and Tender House Project founder Mejay Gula will discuss the importance of preserving these architectural treasures while imagining new uses that serve residents, visitors, artists, educators, and community organizations.

The Bridgehouse Museum is a powerful example of what these historic buildings can become. Located inside the southwest bridgehouse of the historic DuSable Bridge at Michigan Avenue, the five-story museum brings the story of the Chicago-Calumet River system and its remarkable environmental recovery to life through fascinating exhibits and views of the bridge's massive moving machinery.

The free program begins at 5:15 p.m. at the Bridgehouse Museum, 99 Chicago Riverwalk, where guests can enjoy local beverages on the museum's riverfront plaza. Donations to Friends of the Chicago River are encouraged to support the museum's educational programming and community events.

Friends is grateful to Goose Island Beer Co. and the Fletcher Family for making this free anniversary speaker series possible.