A friendly chat with a neighbor during a daily walk led three residents of Three Tree Point to collaborate on a book about the unique Burien peninsula community, tracing its history through more than 200 vintage photographs.
"Images of America Three Tree Point" will be officially released on Monday, March 8. It is part of the "Images of America" series of historical books about local communities.
The three authors are holding a book launch party at the Tin Room Bar and Grill, 923 S.W. 152nd St. on March 12 at 3 p.m. Copies of the book will be on sale for $20.

Co-author Pam Harper said she was walking by Doug Shadel's home one day when she remarked to Shadel that she had a picture of his house under construction in the 1920s.

Harper said they started talking about the history of the community and Shadel suggested they should write a book about it.
Having written five previous books, Shadel is an experienced author.
Along were her husband, Guy, Pam and Doug started work on the project last spring. They convinced Arcadia Publishing to put out the book. Arcadia specializes in softcover books that tell the history of small communities through a heavy emphasis on vintage photographs.
The authors took about a year to collect photos and interview people for the book.

Pam and Guy Harper were both born and raised at Three Tree Point. Their parents and grandparents also lived there, as did Pam's great-grandparents. Pam and Guy are Highline High graduates.

Both are retired. Guy is a Northwest Native carver who produces masks, steam bent boxes and panels. He was also the founding commodore of the Three Tree Point Yacht Club.
Pam is a Burien community activist and was a leader of Explorer Post 950. Through the post, hundreds of young people learned the sport of sailing.

Shadel also lives on Three Tree Point with his wife Renee and two children, Nick and Emily.
Shadel is state director for AARP Washington and was previously a fraud investigator and special assistant attorney general in the state Attorney General's office.

Charles Ganong, an occasional contributor to the Times/News, wrote the book's introduction.
The Point received its name from three massive fir trees that stood on its north side at the beginning of the 20th century.
The area was largely undeveloped until 1903 when the Three Tree Point Company began marketing the community as a place to build summer homes for those desiring a beach lifestyle.

The book presents images of a diverse mixture of family life, unusual characters, holiday celebrations, shipwrecks, fishing derbies and storytelling.
Highlights of the book include a Pulitzer Prize winning photo by Seattle Times photographer Jerry Gay of firefighters resting after fighting a house fire.

Pam Harper said the authors interviewed those pictured. All are now retired from firefighting, she noted.
The book also includes never before published images from photographer Asahel Curtis. Harper thanked Wende Duffy for contributing the Curtis photographs of the famous Duffy gardens.
So what is unique about Three Tree Point?

Harper thinks it is that so many generations of families have chosen to live there. Many live in the same house their parents did or live nearby, according to Harper. Others are drawn back after moving away, she added.
Also the Point offers exceptional recreational opportunities, Harper noted.

She said that goes back to the Native Americans, who did not necessarily live there but came to the Point to fish and "have a holiday."
Later wealthy Seattle businessmen were lured to the areas as a place to build summer cabins, she noted.

Harper fondly recalls playing on the Point.
"We kids had a lot of freedom," Harper remembers. ""We swam in the water no matter the temperature, used boats and water skied. We ran around without much adult supervision."

The area is still a "gorgeous place to live," reports Harper. "It's always changing with beautiful sunsets and whales and eagles going by."
Down in a valley, residents also escape the noise from Sea-Tac Airport, Harper adds.

"As you drive down, you start to pick up the smell of salt air-you really get used to it," Harper said.
The book, with a list price of $21.99, will be available March 8 at area bookstores, independent retailers and online retailers or through Arcadia Publishing at 888-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Copies are also available directly from the Harpers by calling 206-242-4144.