It took more than 100 years for Wildomar to fulfill the promise of its founders by becoming a city, and now, for the first time, there is a book out about the community's history.

Even before Wildomar incorporated July 1, 2008, the man who would serve as the city's first mayor was busy soliciting photographs and compiling text about the history of the town from its beginning in the mid-1880s through recent times.

The fruit of Bob Cashman's work over the last three years is "Wildomar," recently released by Arcadia Publishing as part of its "Images of America" series.

The books, which number in the thousands, consist of pictorial histories of communities throughout the United States. Arcadia already has put out titles on Wildomar's neighbors of Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Menifee Valley and Murrieta.

Given the absence of a book explicitly about Wildomar, Cashman, the founder of the town's historical society, said he approached Arcadia about doing the project.

"There's nothing that shows the whole history of Wildomar," he said. "I wanted to make a story about Wildomar, starting from its earliest days."

In the introduction and first chapter, Cashman outlines the confluence of events that led Donald Graham and Martha Collier Graham, along with her brother William Collier to own land south of Elsinore, which incorporated in 1888.

The landowners created plans for a city they would call Wildomar, derived from the first syllables of each of their first names. Although the city didn't materialize, the name stuck.

Because Wildomar was part of San Diego County before Riverside County was formed, Cashman sought photos and background information from historical resources in San Diego County. Cashman also sought references in Los Angeles County, because Wildomar's founders had been involved in starting up South Pasadena. Martha Graham was a socialite and author, whose works have been collected at UCLA, Cashman said.

Mostly, however, he relied on the photo collections of families with roots in the early days, including the Browns and the Turners, he said.

"Somebody said they thought there's not too many pictures (left) and they were wrong," Cashman said, adding that he used only about one-third of what was at his disposal.

The 127-page text tells the story of Wildomar up to incorporation. Cashman said he purposely structured the book to focus on the foundation of the community ----- leading families, farms, businesses, schools and churches.

"Arcadia suggested, and I agreed, to use pictures from as far back as possible and fewer of them from recent days," he said.

He recommends the book be purchased directly from the Wildomar Historical Society, because proceeds from their sales will benefit the organization.

The publication can be purchased from the society by calling Kathe Sabetzadeh at 951-245-2555.

The book, which is listed at $21.99, also can be bought at bookstores or acquired directly from Arcadia.

Call staff writer Michael J. Williams at 951-676-4315, ext. 2635.