Naperville - Since 1883, the home that George Martin II built has been a showcase for the residents of Naperville. The elegant, late Victorian era home now known as the Martin Mitchell Mansion was built on a hill overlooking Martin's business ventures, which included a limestone quarry and farming. He constructed the home with two purposes in mind -- as a residence and as an office to demonstrate the tangible products of his businesses, which included a brick and tile manufacturing company, along with the quarry. Always forward-thinking, his home incorporated indoor plumbing and was one of the first buildings to have electricity and a telephone.

Come see the completely restored mansion during a specially designed tour in honor of the 125^th anniversary of its construction during, "Grand Tour: Celebrating 125 Years of the Martin Mitchell Mansion," to be held on two dates, from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20 and from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. Also included is a tour of Naper Settlement's permanent exhibit, "Brushstrokes of the Past...Naperville's Story," a look at the town's history through the historic paintings of Lester Schrader, folk artist and longtime Naper Settlement volunteer. The tour is recommended for ages 8 and up; tickets are $10 per person. Reservations can be made by calling (630) 420-6010.

The mansion and surrounding acreage might have remained privately owned, but Martin's youngest daughter Caroline, who married Hinsdale florist Edward Mitchell, bequeathed her family's estate in 1936 to the City of Naperville. Her intent was that the home would remain a museum forever and that the surrounding land be used for the public good.

In 1939, the Martin family home opened as the Martin-Mitchell Museum. The building not only held the Martin's personal effects and furnishings, but also became an eclectic repository of documents and artifacts related to Naperville and its founding.

Through the years, administration of the museum fell to different governmental entities, but in 1969, the all-volunteer Naperville Heritage Society was formed. The Heritage Society developed a historic village near the city's museum that became Naper Settlement. Since then, the Heritage Society has been the administrator of the Martin Mitchell Mansion, which is part of Naper Settlement.