Naper Settlement kicks off awareness campaign with behind-the-scenes tour
Forty community members had an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour June 10 at Naper Settlement's Collections Care and Storage facility, located in the Department of Public Works Building in Naperville.
"Every day, Naper Settlement tells stories that inform, fascinate and inspire our visitors," said President and CEO Rena Tamayo-Calabrese. "Every day, we witness the impact our history has on those who will craft our future. We wanted to invite members of the community to hear some of those stories and see the artifacts that tell those stories."
Chief Curator Louise Howard showed the recently acquired records of the Naperville Human Relations Council Fair Housing Act that told the story of the fight for fair housing in Naperville and the support for the Civil Rights Movement.
"Housing was among the most contentious issues of the modern civil rights movement," Howard said. "In Naperville, a group of local ministers and leaders brought the civil rights movement to the community."
Curator of Research Bryan Ogg pointed to an elegant green lounge that was manufactured by the Naperville Lounge Company, the forerunner of Kroehler Manufacturing Company, when he talked about Peter Kroehler, who rose from a secretary and a salesman to become president of the company. Under his leadership, Kroehler Manufacturing rose to become the world's largest furniture manufacturer.
"We preserve these artifacts, the tools, the records, the photographs and the furniture so that we can tell the story of a man and a company who so profoundly influenced Naperville," Ogg said.
A recognizable and beloved figure in Naperville is Mayor Emeritus A. George Pradel. Registrar Sarah Buhlig showed several objects from the collection, including the famous bobblehead, which featured Naperville's longest-serving mayor, who also served as a police officer for 29 years.
"He almost didn't become a police officer because he didn't meet the height requirements," Buhlig said. "But in 1966, Harold Moser was on the board of commissioners and he said that if George served his country as a Marine, he could certainly be a police officer."
Another soldier who served his country honorably was Oliver Julian "Judd" Kendall. Curator of Exhibits and Interpretation Jennifer Bridge showed uniforms and mementoes from Naperville men who served in World War I. She told the story of how Judd Kendall's bravery and ultimate sacrifice saved thousands of lives during the Battle of Cantigny in May 1918.
"He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart 80 years to the day that he was captured," she said.
At a reception after the tour, Tamayo-Calabrese unveiled four of the themes that were reflected in the artifacts and stories - Tranquility, Defense, Welfare and Liberty - all based on the Preamble of the Constitution.
"The artifacts, the lives and the stories of the people who have helped define us also inspire future generations who can see that the impossible was done again and again," she said.
About Naper Settlement and the Naperville Heritage Society
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor museum set on 12 acres in the heart of Naperville at 523 S. Webster St., where history comes to play and the community comes to connect. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010.