Event flyer. (Ballard Historical Society)
Event flyer. (Ballard Historical Society)

The Ballard Historical Society (BHS) is ramping up on a great program to document the more than 100-years past of the former independent city turned North Seattle neighborhood. Beginning in December, BHS will embark on a 6-month journey to develop a historic resource inventory and dynamic interactive map. Laying the foundation for all of this, locals and historians are collecting an immense repository for community stories, photos and images, historical research, and documentation of the architectural quality and period details of buildings throughout Ballard.

As part of a Department of Neighborhoods grant, BHS will aggregate all of this information to produce an online map steeped in history. For instance, users will be able to see layers with old trolley lines and street names laid out and imagery and research dynamically attached to each point of interest on the map. Ultimately, the project seeks to define the unique characteristics of the old and new Ballard.

Tomorrow evening, the group will meet for their project kick-off at the Ballard Homestead. Their main goals are to get local residents excited about the community project and find volunteers to help complete their studies of buildings.

If you have questions about the project or are interested in learning about volunteering opportunities, contact Davidya Kasperzyk or join for the kick-off meeting.

Article Author

Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.