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Raised in Manhattan, John Lubetkin?s first experience of the American West was in the early 1950s as a summer camper on a month-long caravan across the West. A history major, he graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York, served in the military and received a M.A. from New York University. He spent 32 years as a cable television executive and successfully co-founded two communications companies and a cable network (the Learning Channel). In retirement, John first channeled his creative interests into the little known story of Jay Cooke ("The Financier of the Civil War") and the creation of the Northern Pacific Railroad. The result was ?Jay Cooke's Gamble: The Northern Pacific Railroad, The Sioux, and the Panic of 1873?. John, a former director of the Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association, has recently completed a parallel work of historical fiction entitled Custer's Gold, a story of stolen Montana gold set against a Yellowstone Valley backdrop. A graduate of Union College in Schenectady, NY, John has also published Union College's Class of 1868: The Unique Experiences of Some "Average" Americans (1995), and has contributed numerous articles and book reviews for various historical publications and The Classic Western American Railroad Routes.

John P. Magnuson resides in Sweden.

The Maple Valley Historical Society is an Incorporated Organization within the State of Washington and is classified as a 501-C(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service of the Federal Government. The organization is an all-volunteer organization formed over 35 years ago. The goals of the organization are to teach people about the history of the Greater Maple Valley area, provide a means for people to do research on their heritage, and to showcase the history of the area through maintaining two museums with displays of the past. The Society has a paid membership of over 300 people and organizations. The two museums are located on property owned by the City of Maple Valley, located next to the Maple Valley Community Center in the heart of the City of Maple Valley and are the Gibbon-Mezzavilla General Store and the Fire Engine museum. The Gibbon-Mezzavilla General Store is the restored original store of the Greater Maple Valley area that was frequented by early residents. The Fire Engine museum houses the restored 1926 Howard Cooper Fire Engine which was the original Fire Engine used by Fire District 43 Volunteers. In addition to the Howard Cooper, there are displays depicting the early years of the Fire District.