Naperville Historic District

  The Naperville Historic District is a set of 613 buildings in Naperville, Illinois. Of these 613 buildings, 544 contribute to the historical integrity of the area. The district represents the town as it was originally platted and a few early additions. Stephen Scott established a farm on the DuPage River in 1830, marking the first settlement in what would become Naperville. A sawmill, grist mill, trading post, and school were erected soon after several other families migrated to the land. Among the earliest settlers was Joseph Naper, who, in 1831, made a claim to land and built a cabin at the earliest site of Naperville. By 1832, 180 residents lived in the Naperville region. The village was briefly abandoned in 1832 as families fled to Fort Dearborn during the Black Hawk War, but most returned after fighting had ceased. The first post office was constructed in 1833. The Galena Road between Chicago and Galena opened in 1834 and brought commerce to the area. In the 1850s through th...