Free Ballard

Back on this date in 1906, the people of Ballard decided to become part of Seattle. Not because Seattle was coolest, hippest town in the Great Pacific Northwest, but because Seattle had choked off Ballard's water supply. It seems the people of Ballard knew what would happen to their beloved city, because on May 29, 1907 when the annexation became official, Ballard City Hall was draped in black crepe and the flags lowered to half mast.

Like Fremont, Ballard held onto it's heritage for years, even when faced with greater and greater opposition to different-ness from City Hall. But like Fremont, Ballard could not hold out forever again the forces of Norm Rice's boringification program and Greg Nickel's condoification of the city. Both plans required folks to move to unique neighborhoods, to justify the tearing down and removal of what was unique, to accommodate more people. In the end all you are left with is a sterile facsimile of what once was.

Tonight Ballard, it is glorious last days

Just say no to Condos

Dan