Long Grove might rename Robert Parker Coffin Road
Long Grove village board members are considering a proposal to bring back the original name for the downtown thoroughfare now known as Robert Parker Coffin Road - an idea supported by his family and one that proponents say would provide an identification boost while still honoring a late founding father.
Coffin's name replaced Long Grove Road in the downtown area in the 1980s, officials said. However, with Long Grove about to reopen its signature covered bridge and attracting more businesses downtown, Village President Bill Jacob said a name change would come at a good time.
"There' s always been some confusion on why Long Grove Road doesn't go into (downtown) Long Grove," Jacob said.
Under the proposal, the name Long Grove Road would officially return to the stretch from Route 83 on the east to Route 53 on the west, with Coffin's name posted on honorary street signs along the route. The village also would name the 114-year-old bridge for him.
Coffin, who was 101 when he died in June 2019, was among the first trustees when the village was incorporated in 1956. He was village president from 1959 to 1981 and went on to volunteer on the advisory plan commission for 22 years, holding firm on keeping the town's rural character.
Barbara Coffin said while her father was flattered by the road being named for him, he would support the return to the original name. The family backs the proposal, she said, calling it a "perfect" idea to have the bridge named for her father.
"We understand it's a rather long, awkward name," Coffin said Tuesday.
Long Grove Road runs about four miles, but barely goes through its namesake village. It starts on the west at Ela Road near Barrington, going about 2.5 miles through unincorporated Lake County and Deer Park, then another mile east of Rand Road through Kildeer.
Only a half-mile of Long Grove Road goes through the village before ending at Route 53.
While Jacob and other proponents say the change would help with downtown branding and other efforts to boost businesses, some Long Grove officials are questioning the idea. The issue is expected to be addressed a second time at an upcoming village board meeting.
Trustee Jennifer Michaud floated the idea of replacing Coffin Road with Covered Bridge Road. She also expressed concern about unwanted traffic.
"I have serious concerns that if we have two Long Grove Roads that we're going to have even more people trying to get from one Long Grove to the other Long Grove," Michaud said.
Insurance company owner Ryan Messner, whose office is near the downtown bridge that's on the National Register of Historic Places, said he and other businesses operators would like a return to Long Grove Road. Some customers inquire about the word "coffin" in the current street name.
"Especially now that our (road and bridge) construction is done, what a better way to kick off the new Long Grove by bringing back our old road name," Messner said.
Soon after becoming a national landmark, the one-lane covered bridge downtown was hit by a box truck on June 27, 2018. With renovations including a new timber cover nearly finished, village officials expect the bridge over Buffalo Creek to reopen in a matter of weeks.
Constructed in 1906 by the Joliet Bridge and Iron Co., the span is a rare surviving example of a pin-connected pony truss bridge built for an urban setting, according to documents submitted for the national landmark process.
One of Coffin's many lasting contributions was designing the bridge cover, which was added in 1972 to protect it. Jacob said the village would look into installing a plaque recognizing Coffin if the bridge receives his name.