Pioneer Connections Between Plainfield and Oswego Explored in Lecture

"Two Families, Two Towns: The Pioneer Connections Between Oswego and Plainfield" is the title of the first lecture of the winter/spring program series at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Oswego's Little White School Museum.

Several pioneer families in the Fox and DuPage River valleys had important roles in the settlement and early growth of both Oswego and Plainfield. Michael Lambert, Plainfield architect, historian, author, and educator, will delve into the fascinating--and close--pioneer era connections between the two villages.

Levi F. Arnold, along with Lewis B. Judson, often called the “Father of Oswego,” laid out the original plat of the Village of Oswego in 1835. But Arnold also had an early, and significant, role in the expansion of Plainfield from its origin as the small hamlet of Walker’s Grove into a thriving village on the busy stagecoach route known as the Chicago to Ottawa Trail. In addition, Judson’s relatives by marriage, the Mudgett clan, not only had an early and significant role in Oswego’s settlement, but also helped settle and develop Plainfield.

Lambert will explain the connections between these major players in the area’s early history and the impact they had on the growth and development of both Oswego and Plainfield.

Lambert is well known to area historians, and has had major roles in the recent restoration of the Opera House Block at Plainfield and Montgomery’s Settler’s Cottage. He is a past president of the Plainfield Historical Society, founding chair of both the Will County and Plainfield historic preservation commissions, and a visiting lecturer at the School of the Art Institute – Department of Historic Preservation.

Program donation is $5. Preregister to help the museum plan ahead, but feel free to walk in the evening of the program. For more information or to register, call 630-554-1010.

The museum is a cooperative project of the Oswegoland Heritage Association and the Oswegoland Park District. Regular hours are noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. Museum admission is free. Call 630-554-2999, e-mail info@littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org, or visit their web site at www.littlewhiteschoolmuseum.org for more information.