Throwback Thursday: Ballard buildings back in the day

There are so many amazing buildings in the neighborhood so the My Ballard team thought we would pay homage to some of them in this week’s Throwback Thursday post. Many of the buildings are still in use today and add a special feel to the best place in Seattle.

The black and white photo below, taken in 1911, features the original Ballard Library building on Market St. This building housed Ballard’s first public library that was one just a reading room on Ballard Ave. This building was built on Market St with money from both the community and the Carnegie Foundation. The building was home to both a library and a large auditorium and was the first branch library in the city to have a children’s librarian. The building is now home to the Kangaroo and Kiwi Pub and various Ballard business offices.

ajaxhelper (14)

The black and white photo below, taken in 1946, features the Ballard City Hall building which stood at the corner of Ballard Ave and 20th Ave NW. The cornerstone for the building was laid in May 1899 and the building was completed nine years later. The building was home to a jail, city offices, the fire department, community meeting rooms and a ballroom. At the time of this photo the building served as a police station and it was later torn down in 1965.

ajaxhelper (13)

The black and white photo below, taken in 1939, features the Ballard News Building which stood at 5412 Ballard Ave NW.

ajaxhelper (15)

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.

Photos and information courtesy of MOHAI.

Leave a Reply