Naper Settlement is an outdoor history museum that serves as a unique educational and cultural resource. In the context of a recreated village, Naper Settlement tells the story of how life changed throughout the 19th century for the people who lived in Midwestern towns, such as Naperville. During this era, the frontier outpost known as Naper's Settlement grew from 60 pioneers in 1831 to a bustling center of agriculture, commerce and industry. Today, history is brought to life on the 12-acre grounds of Naper Settlement through its costumed interpreters and 30 historic buildings. Each year, more than 135,000 visitors, which includes 35,000 schoolchildren from through northern Illinois, experience living history at Naper Settlement.

Naper Settlement was established in 1969 by a group of individuals who were interested in saving the Civil War-era St. John's Episcopal Church from possible demolition. The group, called the Naperville Heritage Society, was a grassroots effort of community members who raised the funds, both cash and in-kind, to have the historic church transferred to the grounds of the Martin Mitchell Mansion. The church was moved, renamed Century Memorial Chapel and continues to be the site of many special ceremonies and occasions from weddings to recitals.

Neither Naper Settlement nor several of the other institutions in Naperville would have been possible without the generosity of Caroline Martin Mitchell. The last surviving daughter of a pioneer family who settled in Naperville in 1833, Caroline wanted her home to remain a museum forever and she asked that the surrounding 212 acres be used for the public good. Her bequest to the City of Naperville was honored and they opened her home as a museum in 1939, during DuPage County's Centennial Celebration. On the land she donated is Naperville Central High School, the Municipal Center, the Riverwalk, Rotary Hill and the Millennium Carillon, the paddleboat quarry and numerous playing fields used by hundreds of children and adults every year.

In 2000, the Martin Mitchell Mansion underwent a three-year, $2.8 million restoration that brought back the Victorian beauty to its original splendor. When it re-opened in 2003, the transformation was spectacular and has won numerous awards. Read more about the restoration >

As the Naperville Heritage Society, administrator of Naper Settlement, looks to the future, it has developed a 25-year plan with an eye toward sustainability and environmental considerations, in addition to positioning the museum as a major Chicagoland attraction. Our goals are to tell experiential, engaging, compelling stories; provide relevancy to today; and connect with the downtown and the community in a broader sense. We feel it is essential to tell Naperville's story and to retain the open space. Naper Settlement's buildings will continue to be placed in a way that engages visitors and helps them to appreciate and connect to the Naperville of yesterday and today.