Ballard Locks

The U. S. Government Locks, AKA The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks AKA The Ballard Locks  are 96 years old.

From History Link

After decades of often-rancorous debate, construction of a Ship Canal to link Lake Washington and Puget Sound finally began on November 10, 1911. Following the failure of several private canal schemes, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gen. Hiram M. Chittenden (1858-1917), advanced the project, and his name was later given to the Government Locks linking the Sound and Salmon Bay at Ballard. The canal required digging cuts between Salmon Bay and Lake Union at Fremont and between Lake Union and Lake Washington at Montlake, and building four bascule bridges at Fremont, Ballard, the University District, and Montlake. The Locks officially opened on July 4, 1917, but the canal was not declared complete until 1934.

This is the opening weekend of boating season and many are making their way through The Locks which join Puget Sound to Lake Union and then on to Lake Washington.



"No. 80 in Union Oil company's Natural Color Photographic Scenes of the West. Seattle, metropolis of the Northwest and gateway to Alaska, takes its name from an Indian chief who was friendly to the settlers who first arrived in 1851. The Ballard Locks, shown here make possible passage of deep sea ships from Puget Sound into Lake Union and Lake Washington" See the West with 76 Gasoline Copyright 1939 Union Oil Company of Calif. Made in U. S. A


"Canal Locks Second to Panama, Seattle, Washington" 74031 Tichnor Quality Views. Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made only by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass. Mailed January 1944


"C2037 Government Locks, Seattle, separate Puget Sound from freshwater Lake Union and Lake Washington. Large ocean steamers easily pass through these enormous locks."  A Mike Roberts Color Production, Berkeley 2, California


"U. S. Government Locks Seattle, Washington. Second largest locks in the world. Although mighty ocean liners pass through these locks connecting Lake Union with Puget Sound, the locks will operate for even small pleasure craft as shown here."  Color by Paul L. Miller - Shostal.


"U. S. Government Locks - Seattle, Washington. Second largest locks in the world. Both mighty ocean liners and pleasure craft pass through these locks connecting Lake Union with Puget Sound." Color by Cal Harbert.


"Government Locks, Seattle, Wash. Thousands of pleasure craft as well as the largest ocean freighters pass through these locks from the waters of Puget Sound to the fresh waters of Lake Union and Lake Washington."  Ektachrome by Clifford B. Ellis. Mailed January 1970

Opening Day

Opening Day for boating and the weather is supposed to be amazing!  This is a beautiful area to enjoy water craft sports.

Vintage boating and yachting Seattle-area postcards


"University of Washington and Seattle Yacht Club, Seattle, Washington. Showing Mt. Baker in Distance" 9225 "The University of Washington was founded in 1861, just ten years after Seattle was settled. It has a 583 acre campus and now boasts an enrollment of more than 10,000 students. Lake Washington, shown to the left, is one of the three large fresh water lakes located within the city limits." Published by Adams News Co., Seattle, Wash. C Asahel Curtis


"Seattle - Great Boating Center. Boats gather in Portage Bay for opening day regatta on Lake Washington - a yearly event. Seattle Yacht Club at right, University of Washington campus in background." Ektachrome by Josef Scaylea


"Portage Bay and Seattle Yacht Club, Seattle, Wash. University of Washington campus in the distance with new medical center and stadium showing prominently." C-98 60195 Ektachrome by Josef Scaylea.


"Seattle Boat Parade" "Seattle, Washington; Boating Capital of the World. With numberless fine inland waterways and beautiful Puget Sound, boating is the most popular recreation of Seattle residents. Boat Season Opening Day is a huge civic event." Color photo by Max R. Jensen
Anybody know when that wing of the UW Hospital was being built to help me date this? There is no Evergreen Point Floating bridge under construction so it's before 1961.


"Portage Bay and University of Washington Campus, Seattle, Washington. At left center is the University medical and hospital center. At right center is the Athletic Pavilion and Stadium. At lower right is the beautiful Seattle Yacht Club." C-425 Aerial color by Clifford B. Ellis. mailed July 1962


"3002 - Seattle Yacht Harbor. Where thousands of pleasure craft are moored on beautiful Lake Washington." Photo by James W. Power.


"Yachting on Puget Sound, Wash." "3014 Lowman & Hanford Co., Seattle, Wash. (Germany)


"Fishing at Seattle's Front Door. Elliott Bay offers real sport for the lovers of salmon fishing. annual derbys are held and salmon up to 50 pounds are often caught within sight of Seattle's main business section" C-99 Ektachrome by Josef Scaylea.