The authors of 'Images of America: Lakewood' have a long history of writing about this region. The photo at right appears in the book. Steve and Walter chose this photo in part because of the background. They are standing in a pioneer cemetery. Years ago, you would have seen headstones all the way to the fence way behind them. Those graves are now unmarked. It's symbolic of how much Lakewood history has disappeared. This is why the work of the Fort Steilacoom Association and the Lakewood Historical Society is so important: we must preserve what remains of Lakewood's precious history

Steve Dunkelberger is editor of the Business Examiner, which serves Pierce and Thurston counties. He is also theater critic for the Weekly Volcano newspaper and freelances for a variety of specialty publications in the Northwest. Walter Neary serves on the Lakewood City Council. By day, he is a public relations manager for Comcast in several regions including Pierce, Thurston, South and East King, Kitsap, Grays Harbor and Spokane counties. His unofficial city web site is walterneary.net Both men met at the Lakewood Journal, where they both had a turn as editor before the paper closed.