Collection Highlights

The artifacts featured here are from the museum collection and archives at Naper Settlement and are just a small sampling of the nearly 80,000 items the museum cares for and is preserving for the future.

Artifact of the Month

Welcome to our artifact of the month selections. Each month a new artifact will be highlighted so make sure to check back often to discover what's new...or old!

Businesses of a Bygone Era

Many businesses have called Naperville home over the years. This collection features items from businesses that are no longer around today.

Centennial Beach

Centennial Beach was built as a permanent memorial to commemorate Naperville's 100th birthday, or centennial, in 1931 and remains a popular attraction to this day.

Community Cookbooks

Over the years Napervillians have written many cookbooks, most often created as fundraisers for organizations like schools, churches, service groups and clubs. Group members would submit their best recipes in categories such as: appetizers, soups, salads, side dishes, main dishes and desserts. The archives at Naper Settlement houses and cares for over 50 of this type of community cookbook.

Greeting Cards and Postcards

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, and birthday cards and postcards ranging in date from the late 19th century to the early 20th century are featured in this collection.

Naperville's Birthday

Naperville loves to throw a party. See examples of materials from:

Naperville Fire Department

See highlights of the different materials collected as part of the Public Safety Preservation Project to preserve the rich history of the Naperville Fire Department from its founding in 1874 to the present day.

Postcard Images of Naperville

Postcards have been a popular way to send a greeting to friends and loved ones for well over a century. The postcards featured here were donated by Naperville resident Steve Hyett, who collected Naperville postcards for over forty years and donated his collection of over 700 postcards to the Naperville Heritage Society.