Much of the past has been obscured by apartment complexes and strip malls, so Noble-Gulliford, with the help of the city, decided to represent local heritage in one of the most visible ways possible.

Put up a sign. Or rather, several signs.

The first of 17 markers featuring the historical names of streets and areas in Federal Way began appearing Tuesday on roads around the city. The rest should be up by today.

“It is a great start to bringing the history to the people of the Federal Way area,” said Noble-Gulliford, who is president of the Historical Society of Federal Way.

The City Council this spring approved $5,000 for 21 signs. Four of those will wait until after a road project is completed next year at South 356th Street and Pacific Highway South.

The signs serve as a reminder that there was life in this community before Wild Waves, the Weyerhaeuser headquarters, Interstate 5 and even Highway 99.

History “is the fabric of our society, and it’s important for our children to understand how the community was built,” said City Councilwoman Linda Kochmar, who spoke at a ceremony Tuesday morning to dedicate the signs.

Noble-Gulliford said she thought of the idea and proposed it to the council as a simple way to educate the city. Under the state Growth Management Act of 1990, cities are supposed to preserve history.

“I thought it was a very visible way to show people that live or visit in Federal Way that we do have history here,” Noble-Gulliford said.

The society may ask for more, depending on the popularity of the first batch. It’s too soon to gauge the success since the signs are just being put up, but Noble-Gulliford expects them to be appreciated.

The first sign erected Tuesday appeared at one of Federal Way’s busiest intersections, at South 320th Street and Pacific Highway South.

In the fall of 1890, the Webb family leased 80 acres in the area where The Commons at Federal Way now stands. The area came to be known as “Webb Center,” and that’s what the four signs at the intersection say.

Others will read Maltby Road, Phillip French Road and Libo Road, among others. All will commemorate important historical figures and aspects of local history that not many people know about. None will replace the official street address.

“We recognize … how important it is for a community to recognize its roots and to recognize the people who built our community,” Kochmar said.

The historical society would like to open a public office someday, but for now, people whose curiosity is piqued by the signs can go online to www.federalwayhistory.org.

Brian Everstine: 253-597-8374

Parentheses contain the commemorative name for each route.

 • Four signs at the intersection of Pacific Highway South (Seattle-Tacoma Road) and South 320th Street (Webb Center)

 • Three signs at the intersection of Dash Point Road (Maltby Road) and Pacific Highway South (Seattle-Tacoma Road)

 • Four signs at the intersection of South 312th Street (Phillip French Road) and Pacific Highway South (Seattle-Tacoma Road)

 • Four signs at the intersection of 21st Avenue Southwest (Highline Road) and Southwest 356th Street (Libo Road)

 • Two signs at the intersection of South 288th Street (Meredith Road) and Military Road

 • Four signs will be constructed at South 356th Street (Libo Road) and Pacific Highway South (Seattle-Tacoma Road) in 2009 as part of a construction project.