HALFWAY HOUSE

The Halfway House, a brick two-story building relocated to Naper Settlement in 1975, stood on the south side of Route 65 west of Route 59 on the present site of the Westfield Fox Valley Shopping Center. The house was to be demolished to make way for the new mall complex. In cooperation with Naperville Heritage Society, the firms of Marshall Field and Co., Sears Roebuck and Co. and Urban Development Corporation funded the move.

Built in 1843 of bricks sun-baked on the site, the house once served as a stopping off place for weary travelers from the west heading to and from Chicago, due to the warm hospitality of the farm family who lived there. As a child, Mrs. Helena Zentmeyer Wackerlin often rode with her parents from Aurora to Naperville to visit her grandparents. The red brick house, halfway to Naperville, served as a milestone on the journey. They would wave to the family occupying the house and Helena developed a special feeling for the place. It was this nostalgia that prompted her to offer to fund the restoration of the house when she learned it would be placed at Naper Settlement. She proposed to make it the repository of the heirloom furniture, which she inherited form the Zentmeyers and Bauers, early settlers in this area. The completely restored and beautifully furnished home was dedicated in 1981.

With deep appreciation, we acknowledge volunteers and generous donors who provided the necessary resources between 1975 and 1981 that made the relocation and restoration of these farm structures a reality. Their commitment and partnership in preserving these buildings continues to show the important part agriculture played in our heritage.

Volunteers and Donors

Major Benefactor
Helena Zentmyer Wackerlin

Building Donors for Halfway House
Urban Investment and Development Co.
Sear, Roebuck and Co.
Marshall Field and Co.
Virgil Cook and Son, Inc.

Building Donors for the Windmill and Summer Kitchen
Oscar W. and Elsie M. Strid

Building Donors for the Smoke House
Max and Ceal Gartner

Building Donor for the Barn
Dr. William Kopperud

Donors of Services and Supplies
Fred and Mary Dundas
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Wasson
Mike Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Wade Varvel
Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Scholtes
City of Naperville Electric Department
Naperville Heritage Society
Lenert's Plumbing
Rust Oleum Corporation

Restoration Volunteers
Halfway House Chairman: Al Harris
Windmill Chairman: Mike Garlich
Eagle Scouts David Smith and Howard Stearns

Volunteers who contributed significant time on a regular basis to this project.
Warren Ashley, John Bassett, Ralph Beidelman, Pat Benton, Doris Black, Steve Briggs, Bill Buchinger, Ginny Bursh, Tom Bursh, Carl Cable, Elv Carlson, Don Cervenka, Jim Christopher, Bonnie Cosyns, Howie Cosyns, Walter Eikelberger, Tom Finnegan, Jack Frank, Ruth Gamertsfelder, Max Harbach, John Hieronymus, Ed Hollowed, Harold Huth, Mike Karpa, Royal Lauring, Harold Luce, Joan Luce, Robbie Martins, Karen McGilvery, Dick Moll, Roger Olson, Jim Pannell, Howard Penrose, Tom Peyton, Mary Kay Pfister, Jack Powell, Judy Powell, Chuck Price, Al Rentschler, Dan Rentschler, Dan Rinkelstein, Carl Schafer, Les Schrader, Earl Schultz, Mike Walker, Duane Wilson, Fran Wilson and Norris Yonker

Martin Mitchell Mansion
Century Memorial Chapel
Stonecarver's Shop
Daniels House
Halfway House
Windmill
Smokehouse
Log House
Firehouse
Fort Payne
Bandstand
The Meeting House
Red Barn
Blacksmith Shop
Copenhagen Schoolhouse
Naper-Haight House
Murray House
Pre-Emption House
Paw Paw Post Office
Print Shop