Journalist, freelance writer, and Internet columnist Kate Gingold has been a Naperville resident since 1989. She's also a member of the Naperville Heritage Society and a Naper Settlement volunteer.

Inspired by the city's 175th anniversary celebration in 2006, she set on a research project to share with young readers about the original settlers and how they came to this area.

Ruth by Lake And Prairie is the product of that work.

Kate and her husband Don live with their son James and daughter Emily within strolling distance of the original site of Joseph Naper's cabin overlooking the DuPage River.