Naperville, IL -  You won?t get very far without one -- a doorknob, that is. Learn interesting facts about this historic and useful hardware and view hundreds of doorknobs from a local collection in the upcoming exhibit, ?Doorknobs: A Handle on History,? on display from Feb. 9 to April 15 in the Heritage Gallery at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville.

A Naperville couple, Ray and Loretta Nemec, who have been collecting doorknobs for more than 25 years, are loaning a portion of their collection to Naper Settlement for the exhibit. Loretta said that a childhood fascination with the unusual doorknobs in her Chicago home led to a passion for collecting this particular type of hardware.

?Once people see them, they realize how many different designs there are,? Loretta said. ?Each one is totally different.?

In the past, doorknobs were not just utilitarian, but were considered an important design element. When prospective homeowners built a residence in the 1800s, merchants would display the hardware, which was selected much like jewelry. Today?s collectors sometimes refer to doorknobs as the ?jewels? of the house.

?One of the fascinating things about doorknobs is how they can reveal to us the history of the buildings they were used in, including architectural styles, functions and age,? said Assistant Curator Jennifer Bridge, who is coordinating the exhibit.

Geographic area oftentimes determined what materials were used to fashion the knobs. On the East Coast, glass doorknobs were prevalent. In the Midwest, doorknobs were made of clay, and in California, silver doorknobs were popular.

As historic buildings are destroyed or remodeled and the hardware is lost forever, collectors are more significant than ever.

?The art is gone, but collecting and preserving doorknobs is important, so future generations of children can see what it was like years ago,? Loretta said.  

The past comes to life at Naper Settlement, the only outdoor history museum in Illinois accredited by the American Association of Museums. Located in the heart of downtown Naperville at 523 S. Webster St., Naper Settlement is open year round. From April to October, summer hours are 10-4 Tuesday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 adults, $7 seniors, $5.50 youth 4-17. From November to March, winter hours are 10-4 Tuesday through Friday. Admission is $4.25 adults, $3.75 seniors, $3 youth 4-17 and includes an audio tour. For more information, call (630) 420-6010, the Event Hotline at (630) 305-5555 or visit www.napersettlement.museum.