Naper Settlement

Naper Settlement, established in 1969, is a 13-acre (53,000 m²), open air museum accredited by the American Association of Museums that consists of a collection of thirty historical buildings from the Naperville, Illinois area. Many buildings were moved here from their original locations and refurbished in a style fitting of their period. Visitors can come for hands-on activities and tours led by guides in period costume.^[1] The settlement is situated on land given to the City of Naperville by Caroline Martin Mitchell.

Martin Mitchell Mansion

Pine Craig
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The Martin-Mitchell Mansion within the Naper Settlement outdoor museum.
Location:	Aurora Rd. (Rte. 65) Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois, U.S.
Coordinates:	41°46′10″N 88°9′13″W / 41.76944°N 88.15361°W / 41.76944; -88.15361
Built:	1883
Architect:	J. Mulvey
Architectural style:	Italianate (Eastlake Movement)
Governing body:	City of Naperville
NRHP Reference#:	75002076
Added to NRHP:	August 15, 1975

The Martin Mitchell Mansion, known to the original owners as Pine Craig, is a historic residence. The twelve room house was built with materials from Naperville businesses and stone from DuPage River quarries. George Martin II was the son of an immigrant from Scotland and made his fortune by taking advantage of local resources. His first venture was agriculture, cultivating a farm and gradually expanding his land holdings to 1,000 acres. Martin then developed a limestone quarry along the DuPage until 1869. He made his riches after he co-founded Naperville Tile and Brick Works, which eventually output over one million bricks and one million tiles. The tile was primarily used to drain swamps for farming. Martin operated his end of the business in his new home upon its 1883 construction. He named the house Pine Craig, and his family members lived in the house until 1936. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The mansion currently operates as a museum and was renovated in 2003.

Programs and activities

The settlement's ongoing program is operating as a museum but also offers numerous other large special events, often in conjunction with other organizations. Civil War Days is a 3 day program where the settlement is converted into a large encampment, where up to 480 actors and actresses at a time re-enact historical life and battles.^[2]

References

• National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Pine Craig
• Museum Info: Martin Mitchell Mansion

1. ^ Naper Settlement - Museum Info - Our History - Retrieved May 23, 2007
2. ^ Hilary Decent, Blue & Gray Naper Settlement hosts Civil War re-enactment The Naperville Sun, May 22nd, 2011 Pages 3,7

External links

• Naper Settlement Official Site

Coordinates: 41°46′08″N 88°09′09″W / 41.7689°N 88.1526°W / 41.7689; -88.1526