Naperville Heritage Society receives $200,000 grant for HVAC upgrades to historic chapel
The Naperville Heritage Society has been selected to receive a $200,000 grant from the Tourism Attractions Grant Program from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the purchase and installation of new HVAC equipment for Naper Settlement’s Century Memorial Chapel.
The goal of the program is to provide assistance for projects that increase the economic impact of tourism throughout Illinois by increasing visitation rates, boosting hotel occupancy, increasing local hotel and sales tax revenue, and more.
The grant funding will be used to assist in costs associated with the Naperville Heritage Society HVAC deferred maintenance improvement project in the Century Memorial Chapel at Naper Settlement.
Built in 1864, the Century Memorial Chapel is a historic nondenominational chapel available for weddings and other celebrations. The preservation of the Century Memorial Chapel and other Naper Settlement historic and modern structures that house and display artifacts is an ongoing, integral part of the museum’s mission.
The HVAC improvement project in the Century Memorial Chapel is designed to incorporate planned environmental engineering recommendations for life-cycle equipment replacement.
Advances in HVAC equipment and museum operating theory related to best practices will be applied regarding artifact preservation, energy efficiency, temperature and relative humidity control, and technological improvements.
The improvement project begins in August 2025 and is scheduled to conclude by the end of October 2025.
The $1.7 million in Illinois Tourism Attractions grants provide funding to localities, organizations, and businesses for a broad range of tourism-related improvements, events and activities.
Combined with Illinois' largest-ever tourism campaign, “Middle of Everything,” Illinois is prioritizing investing in its thriving tourism industry while driving millions of visitors to choose Illinois for their next trip.
“We are grateful to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for their support of this project and for recognizing, through this grant, the vital role cultural sites play in driving tourism and strengthening the local economy,” said Rena Tamayo-Calabrese, president and CEO at Naper Settlement.
“For generations, the Century Memorial Chapel has been a cherished place where couples have celebrated their unions, creating ripple effects that extend far beyond the chapel itself — filling hotel rooms, booking reception venues, and supporting catering businesses throughout our community,” Tamayo-Calabrese said. “We look forward to continuing this important work in partnership with the state of Illinois to expand cultural tourism, and we are committed to honoring their trust by working diligently every day to deliver lasting impact.”
The Naperville Heritage Society’s application was selected for an award through a competitive process, which required demonstrating how the award would help businesses in the surrounding area, as well as the project's ability to attract visitors for overnight stays.
About Naper Settlement
Naper Settlement is a nationally accredited, award-winning outdoor living history museum set on 13 magnificent acres in the heart of Naperville.
Located 30 miles from Chicago, the museum is home to thirty-one historical structures dating back as early as the 1830s. Featuring exhibits, special events, educational programming and more, Naper Settlement is where history comes alive and the community comes to connect. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org or call (630) 420-6010.
Founded in 1969, the Naperville Heritage Society is a not-for-profit organization and administrator of Naper Settlement, the city of Naperville’s museum. With a commitment to the community and a focus to the future, the mission of the Naperville Heritage Society is to collect, document, preserve, and support the history of Naperville, Illinois past and present.