It is once again Throwback Thursday and we thought that this week we could have a look at some Ballard bars of yesteryear. Watering holes have been a staple of the Ballard community since the early 1900s so we thought we could pay homage to them in our weekly post.
The bar in the picture below is Ballard Ave’s “Owl Tavern”, which first acquired its liquor license in 1900. According to Julie D. Pheasant-Albright’s book Early Ballard, at one time Ballard Ave had more saloons per square foot of boardwalk anywhere west of Mississippi. Many believe it still does!
According to Pheasant-Albright, one of the most notorious bars “The Brunswick” was owned by the local Mayor Peterson.
When Ballard was annexed to Seattle in 1907, all bars had to reapply for their liquor licenses and pay $1000 to keep them. Bars also had to close at 1 a.m. and on Sundays.
The photo below shows the Ballard Ave spot “Old Home.”
The photo below shows a 1935 black and white photo of the exterior of storefront of a pool hall and bar at 5233 Ballard Ave.
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.