The Village That Volunteers Built
MARTIN MITCHELL MANSION
In 1883, George Martin II commissioned the design and construction of a two story, 12-room brick residence. By the summer of 1884, Martin and his wife Sibelia moved into their new home with their four children Elizabeth, Katherine, George III, and Caroline. They named the home Pinecraig. Architecture Pinecraig, designed by Aurora architect James Mulvey, was situated on Locust Hill, a small rise just south of the DuPage River at the Eagle Street crossing. Built of brick and stone, it showcased the products of Martin's limestone and brickwork business. Its architectural style is best described as Victorian Eclectic for stylistic features appear from at least six different periods. Public Park The 200 acres of open land surrounding Pinecraig and its attendant Carriage House were originally farmed by the family, but have dramatically changed through the years. The fields to the west are now Naperville Central High School; to the north is Aurora Avenue and the Riverwalk; and to the south is a school parking lot. In 1936, the acreage to the east was known as Martin Park when Caroline Martin Mitchell, the family's sole survivor, bequeathed the property upon her death to the City of Naperville to be used as a museum and public park. The Naperville Heritage Society began creating Naper Settlement on the public park grounds in the early 1970s. National Register of Historic Places The Martin Mitchell Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and stands tall in the records of our nation's heritage as a fine example of truly American architecture. The mansion's exterior and interior spaces recently underwent a complete restoration as part of the Naperville Heritage Society's Capital Improvement Project. |
Martin
Mitchell Mansion |
Naperville Heritage Society is a not-for-profit organization.
Copyright 2005 Naperville Heritage Society. All rights reserved.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums.