At the base of Moser Tower sits a statue representing longtime Naperville couple, Harold and Margaret Moser, who passed away within a week of each other in 2001.
“Harold and Margaret were larger than life in the community, and you never saw one without the other,” said Riverwalk commissioner Greg Sagen.
Moser legacy in Naperville
They left a lasting mark on the community in many ways. Harold started the Naperville Sun in 1935. He’d later move into the construction field, then the lumber industry, and then Macom Corporation years later, and as a contractor, played a major role in Naperville home construction.
The statue went up in 2009 as a tribute to the couple’s impact and established their new nickname, “Mr. and Mrs. Naperville.”
On their lap, bronze models of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and North Central College symbolize their generous donations to the establishments. A hammer and chisel behind Harold’s back signify his work developing 25 subdivisions.
“You could literally drop a pin anywhere in Naperville, and Harold would have had some influence in that area,” Sagen said.
The Mosers were known for their charitable contributions—including $1 million toward the tower their likeness now stand in front of.
“As you walk down the Riverwalk westerly, you see the sculpture of the Mosers, and then rising above their shoulder is the Moser Tower, their largest donation, which also houses the Millennium Carillon. So this site is very fitting for them and very appropriate,” Sagan said.
New plaque identifies the couple
Though the sculpture has been there for more than 15 years, many didn’t know who the two were. That’s because the plaque identifying them and sharing their story had been affixed to the back of the statue…out of some passersby’s view.
“Because of that, though, the park district realized over the years that many people walk by, look at it, and just keep going. A lot of people don’t enter the plaza and don’t have the opportunity to see the history of Moser and of the plaque,” Sagen said.
The Naperville Park District decided to rectify that, bringing the idea of adding a new plaque to the front of the sculpture to the Riverwalk Commission. It was quickly approved and installed last month.
Though the new piece does share the couple’s names, Sagen still recommends getting the full picture of the two.
“Take an extra moment, walk around the backside, because the plaque and the artists do a nice job of telling the story of Margaret and Harold,” Sagen said.
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