Welcome
to the
Swallow
Cliff Chapter
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Palos Heights,
Illinois
 Who
is Eligible to Join?
Membership
in DAR is very rewarding. To become a member, a woman must be
at least 18 years old and be able to prove direct descent from a person
who rendered patriotic service during the American Revolution. If you
think you are eligible, come to one of our meetings or send an e-mail
to our registrar,
Gloria Flathom.
Many of our members are willing to help you find ways to document your
lineage. We're
anxious to meet you and have
you be a part of our chapter. Click here
to see a listing of
patriots associated with our chapter.
About Our
Chapter
We are so glad you
decided to visit us at our home on the information
superhighway. The Swallow Cliff Chapter was organized October
31,
1981. Since then, the chapter has worked diligently to
fulfill
the objects of our society: "to cherish, maintain, and extend
the
institutions of American freedom, to foster true patriotism and love of
country, and to aid in security for mankind all the blessings of
liberty." The chapter presents ROTC awards, honors DAR Good
Citizens
from local high schools, sponsors the American History essay contest
for students in 5th to 8th grades, supports our nation's troops and
veterans, and sponsors the Knoll Springs Society Children of the
American Revolution. The chapter installed a bronze plaque
to
mark the site of "The Land of the Healing Waters," a historic Indian
site in Willow Springs, Illinois. Currently, the Swallow
Cliff
Chapter is raising
funds to send World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. as part of the
Honor Flight program.
The origin and
meaning of the chapter name comes from this history:
The silt laid down by the waters of Lake Chicago in the Palos
area had great porosity and capacity to stand in vertical walls.
Situated in the forest preserve of Cook County, thousands of
barn swallows and some kingfishers nested in the vertical face of the
cliff,
some hundred years
ago, which was known as the Swallow Cliff outcrop on the Neumann Creek.
The roadway was
cut right through the cliff when LaGrange Road (Route
45) was widened as traffic increased over the years, and despite
protection by wire screening to prevent vandalism, the birds
disappeared. A few swallows still attempt to nest there, but
it
is now a busy road. People used to congregate to watch their
aerial maneuvers, capturing flying insects and diving into their
burrows to feed their young.
The last Indian
residing in Palos was a squaw living in her wigwam on
top of Swallow Cliff. The cliffs in the forest preserve were
the site
of the famous Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides which no longer remain.
(Historic
photo of Swallow Cliff Toboggan Slides)
Meeting
Schedule
Chapter
meetings are
normally held on the third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.,
September
through May. For additional information, please contact our Regent.
| DATE |
PROGRAM |
| October 17,
2009 |
Visit by
District IV Director, Valerie
Perron |
| November 21,
2009 |
Honor Flights
for Illinois Veterans |
| December 19,
2009 |
Hand Bell
Choir and Silent Auction,
Christmas Luncheon (Reservations required) |
| January 16,
2010 |
About the
NSDAR Library |
| February 20,
2010 |
American
History Essay Winners &
DAR Good Citizen Award Winners |
| March 20, 2010 |
Antique Road
Show |
| April 17, 2010 |
Caring for the
Caregivers |
| May 15, 2010 |
"The Spirit of
DAR in Illinois" presented
by State Regent Luanne Bruckner |
Our
Patriots
Chapter
Officers
Illinois
DAR
NSDAR
Website
created by Illinois
State Webmasters October 6, 2009. Last update November 20, 2009
Web hyperlinks
to non-DAR sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the State
Organization, or the local DAR chapter.
|