Naper Settlement is seeking donations of memorabilia related to food and restaurants to help tell its story
Beginning in April, Naper Settlement is presenting a new interpretative focus, centering around food, in five buildings on the museum grounds – the Log House, the Murray House, the Blacksmith Shop, Halfway House and the Martin Mitchell Mansion. The theme: “food connects us through shared community, traditions and work” includes hands-on activities, programming, community partnerships and collecting artifacts for the museum’s holdings. This new interpretation is being introduced to enhance the visitor experience.
Naper Settlement is seeking memorabilia that supports the museum’s food-themed interpretation, both for the historic buildings represented at the museum, as well as for preserving Naperville’s contemporary food history. On the curators’ wish list are items from the Spanish Tea Room, a well-known restaurant of the 1920s and 1930s, Kandy Kitchen, Tasty Bakery, Cock Robin/Prince Castle and the lunch counter at Naperville Pharmacy. The museum is also seeking Naperville restaurant-related items, including menus, service ware, aprons, etc. Other items sought include family cookbooks used locally as well as community cookbooks compiled by local organizations, such as churches and not-for-profits.
To donate your memorabilia, call Naper Settlement at (630) 420-6010 or e-mail Registrar Sarah Buhlig at buhligs@naperville.il.us.
