For many early Americans, native and immigrant, Puyallup was much more than simply a destination in Western Washington, but was a fulfillment of a dream, a vision of prosperity and opportunity. The lush valley region along the Puyallup River provided both beauty and bounty, sustaining countless generations and a variety of cultures, from the early American Indians to the later European explorers and settlers. Within this untamed wilderness, a group of hardy and self-reliant pioneers began the great task of carving a livelihood, and through their extraordinary efforts, created a lasting monument to their courage and determination-the city of Puyallup.

Puyallup: A Pioneer Paradise chronicles the story of the city's evolution from the indigenous tribe that once populated the valley to the post-World War II building boom that attracted thousands of new residents. Readers travel across several centuries of change as the country of the Generous People, or Puyallup tribe, succumbed to the unyielding waves of new people, such as the colonists of the Hudson's Bay Company, the stalwart Naches Pass Immigrants, and scores of later men and women searching for the promise of land. This unique volume traces the city's varied history, including its once-prominent agricultural traditions in hops, berries, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and Christmas trees, and remembers a host of its colorful characters, citizens like Ezra Meeker and J.P. Stewart, who worked tirelessly to promote Puyallup's development and supplied much of the land and leadership necessary for its growth.