A nonprofit that promotes patriotism and preserves American history has added a new chapter to its storied legacy.

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution created the new Pleasantview Chapter in Post Falls with 15 organizing members.

"The thing about the Pleasantview Chapter that I am most excited about is this chapter was organized to meet the needs of women that want to be active in DAR but have difficulties with their schedules from work or family," Organizing Regent Elena Nelson of Coeur d'Alene said Thursday.

The Pleasantview Chapter, established Feb. 5, will have the ability to be active with the option of remote meetings and scheduling flexibilities, she said.

"We promote bringing children to meetings, involving these children with our activities, attending the meetings remotely and learning about DAR and all the wonderful committees that can make things happen for the Post Falls community," said Nelson, who has been a DAR member since the 1990s.

The chapter name "Pleasantview" was proposed by Vice Regent Trina Caudle of Hayden, who also suggested Dillard and Treaty Rock. Pleasantview was chosen to commemorate one of the first schoolhouses in the Post Falls area. Built in 1910, Pleasantview School still stands on Riverview Drive. It served students until 1937 and has since been used for community activities, 4-H club meetings and ladies' clubs during World War II. The Pleasantview Community Association has worked on the restoration of the school, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The last DAR chapter organized in Idaho was the Meridian-based Emma Edwards Green Chapter in July 2022.

The last chapter formed in Kootenai County was the Lt. George Farragut Chapter, a legacy chapter, in October 1965.

"Legacy chapter means they supported us with our organizing by helping with much of the membership transfers," Nelson said. "Many of our members came from the Lt. George Farragut Chapter, and a few others from the Alice Whitman Chapter in Lewiston. The Alice Whitman Chapter was organized May 1918."

The Pleasantview Chapter has members in their 20s and older. They live in Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene, Rathdrum, Hayden, Lewiston and as far away as western Washington. The Pleasantview Chapter plans to closely work with the Lt. George Farragut Chapter of Coeur d'Alene, the Post Falls Historical Society, the Museum of North Idaho, the Post Falls School District and Children of the Revolution and others to promote and preserve area history.

DAR is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who directly descend from a person involved in the U.S. struggle for independence.

Info: dar.org