"My Hometown - Naperville" Coming to a Store Near You

Starting on Thursday, April 10th, the Naperville General Store on the corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Avenue in Naperville will be featuring a newly-released book about Naperville.  "My Hometown - Naperville" is written by sixth-generation Napervillian Kathy Keroson.  Reading about Kathy's ancestors is like reading about the early history of Naperville.

"It's so exciting to have my book at the Naperville General Store," Kathy said, "because after serving five terms in the civil war under his commanding officer Willard Scott Jr., my great-great-great uncle Nicholas Yack returned to Naperville where he had his own grocery and dry goods store right here in this building.  That would have been about the year 1865 when people still rode horses into town."  While researching her book, Kathy discovered even more history about her Uncle Yack.  He built the building next door which housed the Naperville Clarion newspaper for over 75 years.  Then in 1874, he served on a three-man committee to seek out and to buy Naperville's first firefighting equipment and on February 13, 1875, Nicholas Yack was appointed as the First Assistant Foreman of the Joe Naper Pumper which is now displayed at Naper Settlement.

Kathy Keroson's 168-page paperback is loaded with local history and old-time photos, plus a short story collection about Kathy and her little brother Kurt growing up in Naperville in the 1950's.  They rode tricycles to Voss's store on Douglas, witnessed the knife sharpening guy, played in the hayloft of Kearn's Feed Store on Jefferson, bought candy at the former New York Hotel, and loved going to Kiddie Land.  Kathy remembers the Chinese Laundryman, drinking from the above-ground Meisinger springs, and taking ballroom dance lessons at the YMCA.

"My Hometown - Naperville" also reveals the times that Kathy and Kurt got into trouble, plus some well-kept family secrets!  Mayor A. George Pradel calls this book "a masterpiece."  You won't want to miss it.