The DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation is pleased to welcome Philip Buchanan from Naperville, Susan Benjamin from Carol Stream and Daniel Wagner from Wheaton to its volunteer board.
• Philip Buchanan’s passion for historic preservation led him to a career as a project manager for exhibition companies that focus on museums and trade shows. One of his more recent projects included the Presidential Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield.
• Susan H. Benjamin, Carol Stream Historical Society Fellow and Treasurer, has spent time organizing and documenting artifacts with the Forest Preserve District in DuPage County and more recently with the Robert R. McCormick House in Cantigny. She is also an active member of the League of Women Voters.
• Daniel Wagner, senior vice president of government relations for The Inland Real Estate Group, LLC, sits on numerous real estate and government boards and committees and knows the vital role the DuPage County Historical Museum plays in the county. . In 2014, the museum received a donation of $ 200,000 to replace the museum roof from CEO of The Inland Real Estate Group, LLC, Daniel Goodwin.
“I am honored to serve on the board of directors of the DuPage Historical Museum,” commented Dan Wagner, senior vice president of government relations for The Inland Real Estate Group, LLC. “I look forward to continuing to help preserve history for future generations of DuPage County citizens.”
The Board of Trustees of the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation also includes President David Thiel, Vice President Marty Keller, Treasurer Bob Jacobsen, Secretary Michael Benard and members, Samantha Bauman, Melody Coleman, Emily Doyle, Don Puchalski and Troy Rodman.
The foundation exists to raise funds in support of the museum’s mission of educating the general public through the collection, preservation, interpretation and display of materials that document the history of DuPage County.
The foundation relies on income from special events such as “Casino Night”, “October Party” and “Night at the Museum”. Unfortunately, with the current limitations of special events due to the pandemic, the foundation has not been able to host events in 2020, but is focusing its efforts on developing new and unique fundraisers for 2021.
Thanks to the foundation’s fundraising success over the years, its support has been able to help with numerous temporary exhibitions, the restoration of two Civil War flags which are on display in the museum auditorium as well as the development of various trade publications, including catalogs titled “1917: Catalyst for a Modern Era”, “Early Illinois Folk Art” and “Wheaton, IL: Golf History Starts Here”.
Many of the artifacts included in the Catalog of Golf History are currently on display at the Arrowhead Golf Club, located on Butterfield Road in Wheaton.
The museum offers a variety of virtual and in-person programs and new exhibits, including “100 Years Celebration: Wheaton District Centennial” which opens in May, “Together We Win: DuPage in World War II” in July and “DuPage County Ghost Towns,” opens September.
The museum functions as the only institution dedicated to the collection, preservation and interpretation of the material culture documenting DuPage County, Illinois. The collections represent artefacts collected by the DuPage County Historical Society since 1929 as well as artefacts collected by the museum since its founding in 1965.
Visiting the museum is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. The museum depends on income from donations, special events and programming. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. dupagemuseum.org Where www.facebook / dupagemuseum.
