Naperville's Stewards of the Past Heritage Hall of Honor Inducts Five New Members

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Byline: Susan Dibble sdibble@dailyherald.com

By Susan Dibble

sdibble@dailyherald.com

The late developer and philanthropist Jim Moser did a lot to make Naperville the city it is.

Not one to turn down a request for help, the former owner of Moser Lumber and CEO of the development company Moser Enterprises contributed to many community projects over the years.

Some involvements may have been a matter of good business and politics, but other projects truly excited him.

The construction of the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center at Naper Settlement was one of them, said his son, Mitch Moser.

"He absolutely loved it. He loved the whole concept of the Pre-Emption House," Moser said. "When the idea of it came to life, he was giddy."

After years of planning, the Pre-Emption House Visitor Center opened in 1998, the year Jim Moser lost his battle with cancer.

Moser will be one of five inductees to the Naperville Heritage Society's Heritage Hall of Honor at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. The yearly recognition honors people and organizations that have made significant contributions to preserving the history of Naperville.

Jim Moser

Jim Moser was a lifelong resident of Naperville, who returned to the community after serving in the Army to work in the family-owned Moser Lumber. He became the owner and CEO of the company in 1969, the same year the Naperville Heritage Society was founded.

Moser supported the effort to preserve Naperville's past. He and his brother, Harold, donated materials for the bandstand at the 19th century outdoor museum village.

Then when …