Our History

"White Eagle" was the title of honor given to Willard Scott, a pioneer Naperville settler and founding father, by the Pottawattomi Indians who came to Northern Illinois about 1720. An East Coast native, Scott established residence in this area as a young man of 22. Around 1830, Scott and his parents opened a trading post along the DuPage River, about three miles south of present-day Naperville.

Brave, daring, and intelligent, Willard Scott quickly made an impact on early DuPage County history. Throughout his rich and eventful 84-year life, Scott was highly respected in his community as a man of unswerving honesty, sound judgement, and scrupulous integrity.

His ability to effectively manage Indian affairs, his expertise at peacefully settling disputes between settlers and native Americans, and his remarkable skills in backwoods crafts, tracking, and hunting earned him the well deserved title of "White Eagle." Willard Scott was held in such high esteem by his Pottawattomi neighbors that they also made him an Indian Chief.

After moving into the town of Naperville in 1838, Willard Scott also proved to be an astute businessman. The Naperville Hotel, the Willard Scott & Company general store and community center, and, ultimately, the Willard Scott Bank established "White Eagle" as an innovator and concerned citizen.