Storment Family History

Storment Family History. . , The Storment family purchased this land in the 1950s. David Storment inherited the property when his father passed away in 1980. David lived in a house trailer just north of the current preserve for much of his adult life. According to his son, James Storment, David was a solitary an who preferred the peace of the woods. The foundation and concrete slab you see before you now are the remains of a rustic cabin David built around 1975 for use as a weekend getaway. , Establishment of the Nature Preserve , David Storment had a passion for these woods and was particularly fond of its resident amphibians and reptiles. He wanted the woods to be protected in their natural state long after he was gone. In Illinois, such high-quality rare habitats are eligible for permanent legal protection as a registered Illinois Nature Preserve. In 2002 Storment-Hauss Nature Preserve was formally dedicated and named in honor of David's father (Storment) and mother (Hauss). David passed away in 2019 and Clifftop acquired the nature preserve in October 2020 from his estate. , Dog Grave Sites , David loved dogs. His favorites, Leo, Duke, and Jake were purebred German Shepherds. These beloved dogs are buried in the preserve. Look for Leo's marker just a short distance down the path from this kiosk. The grave sites of Duke and Jake are in a place of honor, located at the north end of the Nature Trail, near the waterfall.