Read more
The 20-square-mile expanse of picturesque lakes and Douglas fir groves in which Lakewood is nestled was first known as "The Prairie," a vital crossroads between the Columbia River Gorge and Vancouver, British Columbia, for British fur traders and Native Americans. Fort Steilacoom became a stronghold of American interests before, during, and after the Indian War of 18551856 and was a crucible for men who would figure prominently in the Civil War. The prairie and the Lakes District later grew into a playground for Tacomas wealthy. On one end of Lakewood, racers
such as Barney Oldfield and Eddie Rickenbacker entertained tens of thousands; while on the other end, health care professionals at Western State Hospital sought answers to mental illness. Lakewood still boasts the first golf club in the West -- the Tacoma Country and Golf Club -- and the internationally known Lakewold Gardens.
About the author
In this visual retrospective, authors and local historians Steve Dunkelberger, newspaper editor and columnist, and Walter Neary, a Lakewood City Council member, have gathered images from private collections, the Lakewood Historical Society, the Tacoma Public Library, and the Historic Fort Steilacoom Association to illustrate Lakewood's unique story and its enduring legacy.
