While you may think of Naper Settlement as a window to the past, we are equally a collector and teacher for the future. Our team has been documenting Naperville’s response to COVID-19. Asking the questions that future generations will ask about this moment in history. Questions like—how did we as a community react to the uncertainty? What fears were brought to the surface? How did we explain this to our children? Whether it is fifty or one hundred years from now, people will want to know. Someone will need our lessons learned. Answering these questions is vital to our mission, and to our future.
We Need Your Help
Naper Settlement is committed to preserving the history of Naperville from before the founding of the town until right this minute and into the future. We are building a collection about daily life with COVID-19 in Naperville and the surrounding suburban area. Below are a variety of resources on how to document the new demands and stresses caused by the pandemic. We hope that these resources will be helpful to you as you reflect on both what you are witnessing and feeling. Think of your photographs and writings as the building blocks of history—the story won’t be the same without you.
If you have any questions about the Naperville 2020: Pandemic Collecting Initiative or donations to the collection, please contact NHSarchives@gmail.com.