Ballard Avenue Landmark District Records, 1975-2012

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Office of Urban Conservation
Title
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Records
Dates
1975-2012 (inclusive)
Quantity
2.2 cubic feet, (6 boxes)
Collection Number
5754-B
Summary
Minutes, correspondence, reports, memos, and other materials related to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District and its oversight board.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Office of Urban Conservation was created in 1975 as part of the Department of Community Development (DCD). It was founded in an era of citizen protests against a proposed urban renewal program that would have demolished Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market. The office’s mandate was to coordinate Seattle’s historic preservation programs and administer the city’s landmark boards and historic districts. When DCD was abolished in 1992, the office became the Historic Preservation Program in the Department of Neighborhoods.

When it incorporated in 1890, the city of Ballard had 1,636 residents. It boasted of being “the shingle capital of the world,” and its timber and fishing jobs drew many new residents, including many immigrants from Scandinavia. By 1900, its population of 4,568 made it the seventh largest city in Washington, and the town continued to boom, growing to 17,000 by 1907. Growth was quickly overwhelming the city’s ability to provide services, particularly a safe water supply, and Ballard’s citizens were increasingly considering asking Seattle to annex their town. The plan was voted down in 1905, but 15 months later annexation won out, and the town officially became part of Seattle on May 29, 1907. On that day, Ballard citizens showed their mixed feelings about the change by draping their city hall with black crepe and flying the flag at half mast.

The Ballard Avenue Landmark District was created by the Seattle City Council in 1976. Ballard Avenue was the core of the area’s central business district for decades. When Market Street became the main arterial, Ballard Avenue’s development effectively came to a standstill, preserving its character as a small-town main street with buildings from the 1890s to 1940s, along with the occasional hitching post. The Office of Urban Conservation, and later the Historic Preservation Program, provided staffing to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Minutes, correspondence, reports, memos, and other materials related to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District. Series are described more fully below.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], [Title of collection], Record Series 5754-B[X]. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Ballard Avenue Landmark District Records are arranged into two series:

5754-B1: Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes

5754-B2: Ballard Avenue Landmark District Subject Files

5754-B3: Ballard Avenue Landmark District Digital Photographs

Separated Materials

Publications were pulled from the collection and are cataloged separately in the Published Documents Index.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

5754-B1:  Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes, 1976-2014Return to Top

1.2 cubic feet , (3 boxes)

Minutes and agendas documenting regular and special meetings of the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. The minutes report on issues discussed, tasks assigned, and actions taken, and include lists of board members and Office of Urban Conservation staff present. Board business primarily concerned consideration of applications for approval of architectural modifications and signage in the District. Other subjects include street lighting, zoning, parking, and transients.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1976
1 2
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1976
1 3
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1977
1 4
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1977
1 5
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes (Jan.-June)
1978
1 6
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes (July-Dec.)
1978
1 7
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1978
1 8
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1979
1 9
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1979
1 10
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1980
1 11
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1980
1 12
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1981
1 13
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1981
1 14
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1982
1 15
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1982
1 16
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1983
1 17
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1983
1 18
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1984
1 19
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1984
1 20
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1985
1 21
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1985
1 22
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1986
1 23
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1986
1 24
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1987
1 25
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1987
2 1
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1988
2 2
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1988
2 3
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1989
2 4
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1989
2 5
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1990
2 6
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1990
2 7
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1991
2 8
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1991
2 9
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1992
2 10
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1992
2 11
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1993
2 12
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1993
2 13
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1994
2 14
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1994
2 15
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1995
2 16
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1995
2 17
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1996
2 18
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1996
2 19
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1997
2 20
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1997
2 21
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1998
2 22
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1998
2 23
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
1999
2 24
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
1999
3 1
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2000
3 2
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2000
3 3
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2001
3 4
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2001
3 5
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2002
3 6
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2002
3 7
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2003
3 8
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2003
3 9
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2004
3 10
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2004
3 11
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2005
3 12
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2005
3 13
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2006
3 14
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2006
3 15
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2007
3 16
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2007
3 17
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2008
3 18
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2008
3 19
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2009
3 20
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2009
3 21
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2010
3 22
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2010
3 23
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2011
3 24
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2011
3 25
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Minutes
2012
3 26
Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board Agendas
2012

5754-B2:  Ballard Avenue Landmark District Subject Files, 1975-1995Return to Top

1.0 cubic feet , (3 boxes)

Correspondence, memos, clippings, and other materials relating to the work of the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board. A significant portion of the collection deals with elections for positions on the Board. Another sizeable set of records contains legal documents, correspondence, and background information relating to a series of lawsuits against the city relating to the historic district.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
Ballard Avenue Post
1991-1993
1/2
Ballard Avenue Street Improvements
1976
1/3
Ballard Avenue Street Improvements
1977-1978
1/4
Ballard Avenue Street Improvements
1979
1/5
Ballard Avenue Street Improvements
1980-1988
1/6
Ballard Historical Society
1988-1990
1/7
Ballard Historical Society
1991-1992
1/8
Board Elections
1976
1/9
Board Elections
1977
1/10
Board Elections
1978
1/11
Board Elections
1979-1981
1/12
Board Elections
1982
1/13
Board Elections
1983
1/14
Board Elections
1986
1/15
Board Elections
1987
1/16
Board Elections
1988
1/17
Board Elections
1989
1/18
Board Elections
1990
1/19
Board Elections
1991
1/20
Board Elections
1992
1/21
Board Elections
1993-1994
1/22
Board Elections
1995
1/23
Board Elections
1999
1/24
Board Elections
2000
1/25
Board Elections
2001
2/1
Bylaws & Procedures
1978-1988
2/2
Correspondence
1975
2/3
Correspondence
1977
2/4
Correspondence
1977
2/5
Correspondence
1979-1980
2/6
Correspondence
1982-1983
2/7
Kustina Lawsuit - Correspondence & Memos
1975-1976
2/8
Kustina Lawsuit - Correspondence & Memos
1976
2/9
Kustina Lawsuit - Correspondence & Memos
1977-1979
2/10
Kustina Lawsuit - Correspondence & Memos
1980-1987
2/11
Kustina Lawsuit - Correspondence & Memos
1990-1992
2/12
Kustina Lawsuit - Legal Documents
1977-1978
2/13
Kustina Lawsuit - Legal Documents, Appeals
1978-1979
2/14
Kustina Lawsuit - Legal Documents, Appeals
1986-1992
2/15
News Clippings
1976-1977
2/16
News Clippings
1978-1980
2/17
News Clippings
1989-1992
2/18
SEPA Declaration
1976
3/1
Building Inventory / Property Owners
1976-1980
3/2
National Registry Nomination
1976-1980
3/3
Ballard Guidelines
1977
3/4
Ballard Ordinance
1976-1977
3/5
District Creation - Determination of Non-Significance
1975-1976
3/6
Background Material
1975-1978
3/7
Landmarks Board Report
1975

5754-B3:  Ballard Avenue Landmark District Digital Photographs, 2005Return to Top

15 digital image files

The contents of this collection include photographs of inlaid sidewalk art in the Landmark District depicting historic maps and street names; tile art; bronze art; inlaid copper street names; prism light grids; and granite and patterned concrete art.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Historic buildings--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Historic preservation--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Office of Urban Conservation
  • Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)