Here are two opportunities to learn a lot about Lakewood’s early history as part of the United States. One is online, and one is in person. They cover a big part of our community’s history as the first US military presence in all of Puget Sound. 

2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17: Learn about the military units that served at the first US Army post in Puget Sound

Military historian and longtime fort volunteer Alan Archambault presents the next in the fort’s series of talks commemorating the 175th anniversary of the fort’s founding. Alan has worked in the museum field for over 40 years and was director of the Fort Lewis Museum for 21 of those years.

Alan will share on Zoom about the various units that served at Fort Steilacoom and discuss the roles they played in the fort’s history from 1849 and during and after the US Civil War. If you geek out on military history, or are interested in the Army in early Washington Territory, this talk is for you.

The talk will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17. THIS TALK IS ONLINE. DO NOT GO TO THE FORT BUILDINGS. THE TALK IS ON ZOOM: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86750216666?pwd=GUjpa1DmqqJ5yv57dEakR1QIpKNLIJ.1

We’re presenting this on Zoom so we can share information with neighbors and also people outside of driving distance. So please share this program with anyone who has an interest in US military history.  

If you’d rather join by phone: 253-215-8782. The Meeting ID: 867 5021 6666. Passcode: 866532.

The history of Fort Steilacoom’s history: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, talk in the Spanish Ballroom, McMenamins

Past museum board president Walter Neary will take the stage 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in downtown Tacoma as part of the McMenamins’ monthly History Pub series. The topic: Why Fort Steilacoom Disappeared Between 1868 and 1978. Learn more about the talk and get ticket information on the McMenamins web page.

Fort Steilacoom Museum opened in the 1980s to restore and preserve the historic site. However, more than 40 years later, many people have never heard of Fort Steilacoom except that it’s the name of a park and campus. Across the nation, many museums commemorate the US Army while now dedicating resources to trying to tell the challenging history of westward expansion. But Fort Steilacoom was not even listed on a Wikipedia page of forts until June of this year.

Walter will talk about the fort, sure, but also how history gets rewritten and often misremembered or forgotten — using Fort Steilacoom as one example. 

All ages welcome. Tickets are $7 in advance or at the door. Get ticketing information here.