Keep world-class museum in place

On April 2, Illinois Landmarks named the DuPage County Historical Museum on the "10 Most Endangered Historical Places" list. David Bahlman, president of Landmark Illinois, stated, "This exquisite building is an invaluable asset to the community. It is imperative that the historic structure and the artifacts within are properly preserved."

Residents of DuPage County should be aware that there are talks under way to turn the DuPage County Historical Museum and its contents over to the Wheaton Park District. There has been no public forum or notice.

For several generations DuPage residents put their time, treasured heirlooms, money and efforts into creating a world-class museum for the county. They also put their trust in the county that their donations would be held in public trust for perpetuity. Now, the efforts of all these people will be turned over to one city in our county.

If you are not a resident of Wheaton you should be aware of this loss. You should know that your tax dollars were used to create a museum that will no longer be available to you. The park district programs at the museum will only be available to residents of School District 200. I have great respect for park districts; however, it has been my experience that they do not have the skill sets for the administration of a museum. The artifacts and collections of the museum are held in public trust and there are curatorial responsibilities that have to be adhered to by law.

The DuPage County Historical Museum Association, a 501(c)3 organization, has worked diligently to raise public awareness and funds to save the museum. We are working toward self-sufficiency. But we need your help to succeed. Please join us in asking the DuPage County Board to restore the budget and allow residents of DuPage County to continue to enjoy their museum, its exhibits and its programs. Contact your county board member at www.co.dupage.il.us/

Veronica Porter

President

DuPage County

Historical Museum

Association