Throwback Thursday: Bikes in Ballard

By Joe Veyera

With portions of Ballard Avenue Northwest and 22nd Avenue Northwest set to be closed for several hours on Thursday evening as part of the City’s Summer Streets project, this week’s throwback is dedicated to our neighborhood’s two-wheeling past.

Unfortunately, we were unable to find any pictures featuring penny-farthings, and their gigantic front wheels.

The black and white photo below, taken in 1910, shows eight women in costume, with a bicycle, at the Ballard Field House at Adams Elementary.

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The black and white photo below, taken in 1900, shows a group of 12 police officers lined up in uniform, while spectators are lined up in the background as if for a parade. Last but not least, we see a bicyclist behind the officers. (This picture may look familiar, from the Throwback Thursday on May 1 to the Ballard police of yesteryear.)

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The black and white photo below, taken in 1918, features the Jensen home at 7557 14th Avenue NW, with Lester Bjork and Walter Nord standing beside a bicycle.

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Finally, this black and white photo, taken at an unknown date, shows the Ballard Feed Co., Inc. at 5133 Ballard Avenue North. If you look to the far left, leaned up against the building, you see a bike. Hopefully, that bike’s owner returned.

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Do you have an historical photo or a story that readers would enjoy hearing about? Email us at tips@myballard.com with Throwback Thursday in the subject line.

Photo and information courtesy of Ballard Historical Society.

One thought to “Throwback Thursday: Bikes in Ballard”

  1. You don’t have to go back in time to find penny-farthing pictures. There’s some guy who rides one around near the Ballard Bridge; he was one of Pono Ranch’s first customers, I think.

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