Settlement talks of history's future

Naper Settlement's vision is to immerse its visitors even further into the past.

In a presentation to the Naperville Park Board on Thursday night, Howie Crouse, vice president of the Naperville Heritage Society's Board of Directors, and settlement Executive Director Peggy Frank shared the museum's vision for the next 20 years as it looks to expand to its full 13 acres. The goal, Crouse said, is to make it more of an "experiential place" for visitors that would make the city's history relevant to today.

"We're still very much talking about ideas," Crouse said. "How do we bring downtown Naperville of old onto the grounds?"

The five-phase plan includes work on the east perimeter, changing the use of existing buildings, creating a pioneer station telling the American dream, incorporating 20th century residences and creating a commercial area known as Scott's Block.

"It tells the story of the people that moved here not only with the intent of finding a place to live but also of commerce," Crouse said.

Scott's Block could house uses such as a hardware store, bakery, bike shop, cigar shop and banquet facility, he said.

The plan is "the culmination of a lot of work," Frank said, including "a great deal of background research" and two years of gathering feedback from the community.

With the plan still in its conceptual stage, Frank said there is no estimated dollar amount, nor is there a budget. Crouse said the plan would be "a very expensive" proposal that would "require extensive fundraising on our part."

The next step in the process is for the settlement to formally request through the Plan Commission and City Council a major change to the site's planned unit development to allow for the work.

"I like the concept and think it's great you continue to expand on it," Commissioner Mary Wright said.

For nearly two years the settlement has been making presentations on the plan to government agencies, interest groups and volunteer organizations, Frank said. Any group interested in learning more about the plans can request a presentation, she said.

In October 2006 the proposal went before the City Council, as the museum sits on the 212-acre Caroline Martin Mitchell bequest. Along with the settlement, it is home to Naperville Cemetery, Naperville Central High School, Edward Hospital, Knoch Park, Naperville Park District's garden plots and Sportsman's Park.

Crouse said the settlement wants to continue the spirit of cooperation that began two years ago when the school district began exploring its options on the site, and the hope is that the conversations that began then continue.