Who Was Margaret Collier Graham

If the banners around town saluting Margaret Collier Graham have piqued your interest, here's just a taste of her remarkable life:

Margaret Collier Graham, whose books and stories of Southern California were nationally acclaimed in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, was considered “first lady of the foothills.”  She and her husband, Donald Graham, the first mayor of South Pasadena, were active in the cultural, social, and educational life of the new community. --Beverly Biber

Many of her books are not only still in print, but also available on Kindle, including "Stories of the Foot-hills," and "The Wizard's Daughter."

A woman of many talents, during the real estate boom of the 1880s (you remember that bubble, don't you?), she helped found and develop Wildomar and Lake Elsinore.

You can see this painting of Graham, up close and personal, at The Huntington Library.