Edith Macefield will always be remembered as the Ballard woman who didn’t give in to the big developer. Even when offered nearly a million bucks for her small house on NW 46th St., she refused to move. Cement walls went up around her with construction workers jackhammering from morning to evening.
Her determination to live the rest of her life in the place that she called home struck a cord with people throughout Ballard. Curtis, the owner of Anchor Tattoo on Market St., was recently talking to a friend of his about Edith’s legacy. They love what she stands for and decided to create a tattoo in her honor. They chose the obvious symbol: her house.
They jokingly coined themselves “Edith Macefield’s Army.”
Curtis says that 7 or 8 people have come in to get the tattoo.
Joe is one of them. He works at a Ballard coffee shop, and he says that while he likes his new tattoo, he knows that some people may criticize the message it sends. To them he says, “If they don’t like it, it’s not for them.” Which sounds strikingly similar to Edith herself, who notoriously said, “I liked the old Ballard. The new one — you can have it.” Edith passed away inside her tiny home last June, but her army is growing one tattoo at a time. (Thanks Kevin for the tip!)
Edith Macefield’s army of tattoos
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I had no idea about this. I'm thinking she passed during all that construction noise, bless her heart.
Andy- will you marry me??
Just kidding but SOOO sick of the New Ballard apologists. Someone on the bus said I am “New Ballard” (A guy in a tam o shanter no less) and I was trying to remember how long I've lived here.
Old Ballard is kind of like Edith's house. Sort of non descript and old, but also inexpensive and paid for. Also, notably, Scandinavian.
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