Lakewood History

The Lakewood, Washington Story

For thousands of years Steilacoom, Nisqually and Puyallup Indians roamed the Lakewood prairies, woodlands, and nearby shorelines to fish, hunt and gather the bounty of their natural environment. They often met neighboring tribes on the prairie to socialize and barter.

In the mid-1800s, as explorers, missionaries, trappers, and traders came on the scene, ships and wagons weren’t far behind with adventurers and homesteaders seeking their fortune. Fort Steilacoom, built in 1849 (now Western State Hospital), was the first U.S. military post on Puget Sound. That military link is still strong today with Ft. Lewis, Camp Murray and McChord AFB on Lakewood’s borders.

Settlement came quickly. Byrd’s sawmill was built in 1854; the gristmill two years later. Homesteaders staked claims and build stores, churches, schools and roads.

From dairy farms to summer resorts, the Lakes District flourished as small villages cropped up: Lake City, Custer, Flett, Ponders Station, Lakeview, Tillicum and more were connected by roads, trolley and trains to Tacoma and beyond.

In the early 1900s, Lakewood became a suburb of lakeside estates. In 1937, Lakewood Jr. High was built (now CPHS), the Lakewood Log was founded, and the Colonial Shopping Center was built, one of the first of its kind in the West. The population grew from 3,000 to 17,000 during the next decade.

By 1958, Visitation Villa Convent and School gave way to Villa Plaza Shopping Center, now Lakewood Towne Center. Each development fostered another, including a vocational school and a community college. In succeeding years, the city has grown more than threefold.

Lakewood became a city in 1996. By 1998, the Lakewood Historical Society was born to capture the many stories of this rich history and hold them for future telling. In October, 2006, the Historical Society opened the new Lakewood History Museum to preserve our local history and continue collecting and telling the Lakewood story… because out history matters.

Our Future
The Society is working toward a sustainable future in a permanent facility. Our goal is to preserve and interpret history in a fresh, exciting and professional way that entertains, educates and encourages new artifacts, gifts, ideas, members and visitors. We look forward to seeing you soon!