Highland Springs Chapter NSDAR

Highland Springs Chapter NSDAR Welcome to the Highland Springs Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

CHAPTER HISTORY

In the early 1800s, the Cherry Valley area was known as

Rancho San Gorgonio, an outpost for the San Gabriel Mission. A large portion of the area was a Spanish Land Grant made to

a man by the name of Paulino Weaver. In 1853, Weaver sold

some of his land to Dr. Isaac William Smith, who was struck

by the land’s natural beauty while looking for stray cattle. Dr.

Smith purch

ased 1,000 acres for $1,000 from Weaver and

established Smith Ranch and Highland Springs Ranch & Inn. In 1862, Smith's ranch was dubbed "Smith Station" and was

made a stagecoach stop. In 1865, a young Wyatt Earp drove

the route from San Bernardino to La Paz, Arizona on which

Smith Station was a popular stop. From 1864 to 1866, the route

through Highland Springs along the Bradshaw Trail was the

single connecting line for passenger, mail and the express

travel between Southern California and the eastern regions of

the nation. Smith Station slowly developed into a hotel bustling

with traffic. In 1884, the Smith property was purchased by a

Los Angeles company that built a three-story hotel on the

property called Highland Home. The first cherry trees in the

area were planted here, contributing to the name that it is still

known by today, Cherry Valley, California. Highland Springs Chapter, NSDAR organized on October 30, 2022, and chartered by the National Board of Management on November 5, 2022.

08/26/2026
08/12/2026

Today, Forbes published their 2026 “50 Over 50” list and we are excited to announce DAR’s very own President General Ginnie Sebastian Storage featured in the “Impact” category with fellow “Changemakers leaving the world a little better than they found it.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2026/08/11/2026-50-over-50-impact/

The Forbes 50 Over 50 highlights women proving that leadership, innovation and influence have no age limit. The women on the list, divided into categories: impact, investment, innovation and lifestyle, are actively leading organizations, building businesses, advancing scientific discovery, shaping public policy, creating cultural impact or driving social change. They are mission-minded entrepreneurs and leaders tackling the world’s most pressing problems with a powerful combination of empathy, expertise and experience.
Congratulations, DAR President General Ginnie Storage!

08/09/2026

Lafayette: A True Friend to the Osage

The Marquis de Lafayette, a known friend to the Indigenous American dating back to the American Revolution, is also part of the Osage story.

Lafayette stepped in to help a group of Osages who had travelled to France in 1827, where they were initially treated as celebrities and were even presented to King Charles X. Later as interest and the support of their sponsors diminished, the Osages were left destitute and wandering.

In 1829, the six Osages split into two groups of three, with one group going south to Montauban (France), where they were aided by the people there to return home. The other group including Big Soldier and Sacred Sun (Mo-Hon-Go), pictured here with her daughter who had been born during the trip, ended up in Paris.

When Lafayette heard about their plight, he brought the Osages to his home, raised money for their passage back to America, and when their belongings were seized at the dock before sailing, helped straighten out the problems, even returning items to them in America.

Before they left, Lafayette gave Big Soldier a bronze medallion with a likeness of himself, which Big Soldier wore until his death in 1844.

Written by: Mary Pat Kelly and Diane Windham Shaw

For additional information on the Osage Nation:

https://www.facebook.com/OsageNews/
https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov

08/03/2026
08/03/2026

Address

300 S Highland Springs Avenue , Suite 6C #203
Banning, CA
92220

Telephone

+19099131955

Website

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