• Preservation Outreach
• Historic Walking Tours

Preservation is an ongoing effort that is most successful when public and private efforts occur jointly and in collaboration. To that end, Naper Settlement promotes preservation through a number of programs and outreach efforts to share our resources and work with others interested in seeing Naperville's heritage preserved in a variety of ways.

Keep Naper Settlement in Mind
As part of its mission to preserve Naperville's architecture and history, the Naperville Heritage Society is asking developers to contact the Heritage Society when plans are being made for the possible or confirmed demolition of a structure within Naperville.

Naperville Heritage Society staff will evaluate whether further documentation is warranted given the property's location, age, architecture and known history. If the structure merits preservation consideration, the Society may be able to help the property owner with relocation options if preservation and/or adapted use is impossible.

As a last resort, salvage opportunities for building materials to be recycled into the new building, at Naper Settlement or in other community developments also will be considered. Although the Naperville Heritage Society primarily is interested in building materials that are pre-1930s in good condition used in Naperville, there are always exceptions, so please call first.

Meeting the challenge of preserving Naperville's history can be achieved when there is cooperation between developers and preservationists who can work together to save historical structures and artifacts within the community.

Read about Naper Settlement's preservation efforts both at the museum and in the community.
Archaeological Dig on Joe Naper's Homestead - August 2006
Archaeological Dig on Joe Naper's Homestead - August 2007

Public Open House Held on March 19, 2009
The working group held a public open house on March 19, 2009 from 7-9 p.m. in Meeting Rooms B and C of the Naperville Municipal Center to present the preliminary recommendations related to the following topics:

• Statement of Purpose for the Naperville Preservation Ordinance;
• New District and Landmark designation procedure;
• Membership composition of the Commission;
• Appropriate space for HSC meetings;
• COA procedural guidelines; and
• Historical building design guidelines.

Approximately 30 people attended the open house.  Peggy Frank, Executive Director of Naperville Heritage Society, made a presentation giving an overview of the preliminary recommendations, followed by an open discussion.  The presentation slides can be downloaded by clicking the link below:

• March 19, 2009 Open House Presentation Slides (PDF 2 MB) 

Interested parties are encouraged to provide feedback on the preliminary recommendations. Comments may be submitted to Peggy Frank at frankp@naperville.il.us, by mail to 523 South Webster Street, Naperville, IL 60540, or by calling (630) 420-6011. 

Historic Preservation Ordinance Statement of Purpose > (PDF)

Public input sought on historic preservation recommendations through April 24 > PDF