King County Council recognizes Ballard Locks Centennial

The Metropolitan King County Council celebrated the Ballard Locks’ 100th anniversary this week, issuing a nostalgic statement of recognition (full statement is below).

“The Ballard Locks are a local treasure for residents, visitors and school classes,” Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles said in statement. “History and function come together at the Locks to create an experience that can include walking through the surrounding botanical gardens, learning about the locks as an essential pathway for migratory salmon and enjoying the fish ladder viewing room, or touring the vital infrastructure.”

There are a number of upcoming events to celebrate the centennial, including a boat parade on the 9th of July.

Here is the recognition statement, posted on the King County Council’s website.

RECOGNITION

WHEREAS, Maj. Hiram M. Chittenden found the need for a masonry lock in 1907, with federal funds allocated in 1910; and

WHEREAS, 63 years before its completion, Thomas Mercer first proposed the unique idea of creating a connection where fresh and salt water meet in Seattle; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers oversaw the construction of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and has managed its operation to this day; and

WHEREAS, on July 4th, 1917, more than half the City of Seattle’s population lined the shores and watched as more than 200 boats paraded through the cuts and Lake Union into Lake Washington;

WHEREAS, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, also known as the Ballard Locks, has provided a critical passage for commerce and recreation for the people of Seattle and King County for 100 years; and

WHEREAS, with nearly 50,000 vessels per year, the Ballard Locks move more traffic than any other in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Ballard Locks’ fish ladder provides an invaluable educational experience for visiting school children; and

WHEREAS, the Ballard Locks are a designated National Historic Site and attract more than one million visitors per year; and

WHEREAS, HistoryLink and over 30 historical museums and societies lining the waterways of King County have brought these events to life for the people of Washington State; and

WHEREAS, there will be a centennial commemoration at the Ballard Locks on July 4th, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.;

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Metropolitan King County Council, recognize the

HIRAM M. CHITTENDEN LOCKS

upon its centennial for its continuing significance and service to the people of Seattle and King County.

Photo: Representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Historylink.org and the Queen Anne Historical Society with members after the Council recognized the Centennial of the Ballard Locks