Kate's Brief History

One of the advertisers in Holland’s Business Directory – and a major source of information about all the other advertisers – is the Napervi...

It was common for craftsmen who built furniture to also provide coffins and the Holland’s Directory listed two men in Naperville: Charles Ba...

William and George Knoch were a couple of young go-getters who ran a cigar factory and tobacco shop in town. The Holland’s editor praises W...

While progress has replaced many of Naperville’s earliest structures, not only does George Reuss’s business building still stand but so does...

Naperville today has an abundance of drinking establishments and it was much the same in 1886. In fact, there were six saloons in the downto...

The 1886 Holland’s Directory lists three hotels in Naperville: American House, Pre-Emption House, and Washington House. All of them were on...

The 1886 Holland’s Directory features three full-page ads promoting Ernest Von Oven’s various businesses. All have the same office “at the f...

In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s take a look at the woman-owned businesses that were listed in the 1886 Holland’s Directory. At leas...

At the time when Holland’s Business Directory was published in 1886, Dr. Hamilton Daniels and his son William operated a drug store on Washi...