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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, As the month of March is designated Women's
3History Month, the members of the Illinois House of
4Representatives wish to highlight the contributions of women
5in our State; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Caroline Martin Mitchell was an astute and
7successful businesswoman in the late 19th and early 20th
8centuries whose contributions helped make the City of
9Naperville into the thriving community it is today; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Caroline Martin Mitchell ran her family's
11business, the Naperville Tile and Brick Works, which was one
12of the most successful construction companies in the region;
13she led the male-dominated business at a time when it was
14considered unconventional for a woman to do so; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Caroline Martin Mitchell, as the last of her
16descendants, reflected on what her family had built and their
17contributions to the progress her community had seen during
18her lifetime and decided to create a living legacy, which has
19lived on, thrived, and expanded well into the 21st century;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Through a perpetual charitable trust, Caroline

 

 

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1Martin Mitchell appointed the City of Naperville as the
2trustee of her family's 212-acre estate; she outlined the
3terms and conditions to ensure that her land would be an
4ever-evolving legacy to the Martin family by securing her home
5as a museum and her orchards as a place to gather her community
6and by dedicating the remaining acreage to the public good,
7stipulating that her lands be used to fund the museum when
8necessary; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Today, Caroline Martin Mitchell's former estate
10is home to Naperville Central High School, Rotary Hill, Knoch
11Park, the Naperville Garden Plots, the Von Oven Scout
12Reservation, Sportsman's Park, portions of Edwards Hospital,
13Linden Oaks, the Naperville Cemetery, and more; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Caroline Martin Mitchell's vision for a living
15legacy is responsible for the creation of the Naper
16Settlement, a museum that consists of her former home and its
17surrounding orchards; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Naper Settlement is a 13-acre, nationally
19accredited outdoor history museum and community space that
20connects visitors to the past while inspiring them to see
21their role in the future; the museum hosts award-winning
22exhibits, events, and educational programs for learners of all
23ages; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
2HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we recognize Caroline Martin Mitchell for her many
4contributions to the Naperville community and the State of
5Illinois; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
7presented to the City of Naperville and the Naper Settlement
8as an expression of our esteem and respect.