The bumper stickers and T-shirts that read "Free Ballard" are a novelty to some, something to pick up as a souvenir from your visit to that cute little Scandinavian neighborhood with all the chic boutiques and trendy restaurants on the outskirts of an industrial core.

But many, especially new residents, don't know that the genesis of what has become one of Ballard's most famous motto's actually grew out of the same kind of controversies that surrounded the annexation debate 100 years ago.

The "Free Ballard" slogan was born in 2002 at a time when there was a lot of dissatisfaction with parking, gridlock, zoning, and a general sense of failing leadership in city hall, said Beth Miller, executive director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce.

"It was felt that city hall really wasn't listening--the notion that people weren't being given their dues or at least a voice," said Miller. "It was meant to sort of draw attention to the fact that the city needed to address our concerns-in a tongue and cheek sort of fashion."

The chamber came up with the slogan with help from one of its board members, the owner of Archie McPhee, a novelty store on Market Street. The store now sells several "Free Ballard" items, including black armbands and T-shirts.

It was meant to be funny, but to also send a message.

When Ballard was annexed, it went under the promise it would be provided better police, fire and infrastructure services. Miller isn't so sure Seattle has lived up to that bargain.

"The seriousness of it all to me was that we were promised certain things when we agreed to annexation and here we are asking for more police and concerned about our tax base," she said. "This city is not stepping up to the plate for businesses as well as it should be."

Ballard is still paying for a lot of services like sidewalk cleaning and tree trimming, things that the city should be providing, she said.

In 1907, the mayor of Seattle campaigned around Ballard, promising better utilities, improved emergency services, and lower taxes, among other things.

Ultimately, the debate had been over water; Seattle had it and Ballard's supply was contaminated. The annexation vote was held in April, and it was a close call. Annexation won by just 122 votes.

But out of the 2,000 Ballard citizens registered, close to 200 never got the chance to vote, said Miller, probably because they were seasonal workers out on fishing boats.

"That could have changed the vote," said Miller, noting that most industry workers were members of anti-annexation parties. "It was clearly something the community wasn't all gung-ho about."

Tuesday, May 29 marked the 100th anniversary of Ballard's annexation to Seattle, and the animosity toward our city to the south gave way once again as Ballardites took part in an anti-annexation celebration hosted by the chamber.

The bell tower on Ballard Avenue, what's left of the original City Hall, was draped in black and the bell was rung, just as it had been 100 years ago.

People sported "Free Ballard" black armbands and T-shirts. They carried water bottles with the logo, "Seattle, we don't need your stinkin' water," poking fun at the core issue that ended the City of Ballard's 16-year existence.

Stephen Lundgren, a long-time Ballard resident, said Seattle has yet to deliver on its promise of better city services and infrastructure improvements.

"Perhaps the lingering suspicion of the City of Seattle is because of what they feel up in Greenwood..." Lundgren said. "Above (Northwest) 85th there are far too many residential streets without even dirt sidewalks."

During the neighborhood planning stages in the mid and late 1990s, people were excited that comprehensive planning was finally extending from highways and zoning to former independent cities, said Lundgren, who volunteered on the neighborhood planning committee.

"In some ways, that worked - major facilities were upgraded or replaced, such as libraries and parks..." he said. "But the rest of the payoff--transportation improvements--didn't happen."

In some ways, Ballard has stayed somewhat "free" and has maintained its identity, even from all the way across the world.

People in Scandinavia know where Ballard is, but not necessarily Seattle, said Jody Grage, a long-time Ballard resident and planning committee chair for the Ballard District Council.

"When you introduce yourself to someone you say you live in Ballard-not Seattle. And I think that's very healthy," she said.

Even the Unites States Post Office still seems to recognize Ballard as its own city.

A few years ago, Grage received a postcard from a friend in Norway. Not knowing Grage's address, the card was simply labeled "behind the liquor store on Market Street, Ballard, WA." It was delivered to her house that way.

Lundgren has lived in five Seattle neighborhoods, including Queen Anne and Magnolia, but it's Ballard that's remained the most "interesting and entertaining," he said.

Janet Rodgers and her husband have had a Ballard address for the past 40 years and couldn't see living anywhere else.

"There has always been a special pride in saying you live in Ballard, not Seattle, but Ballard, before it became the 'in' place to live," said Rodgers, director of the Ballard High School Foundation. "Once you live (here) and you say those special words, 'I am from Ballard,' there's no turning back...you have caught the Ballard Bug and will never want to leave."

She hopes new residents will feel the same way and be inspired to get involved in the community and continue Ballard's tradition of a small town spirit.

"It always has been a strong, independent community, with lots of heritage and traditions, neighbors who know each other, local businesses who know your name, a good local newspaper and a community who cares about its kids and works hard to improve its local schools," said Rodgers.

Ballard's relative isolation helps create its own sense of community and some would say that it's almost remained a self-supporting city. But Lundgren said Ballard has changed too much for that to be true.

Many of the family wage jobs are now gone and it's "losing the core basis of a unique identity"-Nordic heritage, he said.

Instead of secession, Lundgren would prefer the citizens of Ballard "shanghai" the Seattle City Council and Mayor Greg Nickels until they agree to a few things. Among several demands; fund replacement of the Ballard Bridge, commit to an extension of surface streetcar rail line to South Lake Union, build a Ballard commuter rail and passenger ferry terminal and complete the Burke Gilman Trail.

"And each one of them, and the mayor, eat an entire bowl of cold lutefisk washed down by Maritime Pacific's strongest brew while coiling 20 fathoms of wet mooring lines," said Lundgren.

Over at Archie McPhee's, Ballard products have rolled off the shelves as people geared up for the anniversary. A new version of the classic "Free Ballard" bumper sticker was manufactured for centennial, "Free Ballard- 100 years of Seattle tyranny."

"There's a lot of Ballard pride rising up right now," said Shana Iverson, manager of Archie McPhee.

Some customers share with Iverson their interpretation of the saying. For the serious anti-annexationist, it means free Ballard from Seattle. Some just think it's funny, while others take it to mean liberate Ballard from development, condos or a depleting Scandinavian culture.

"But mostly it's done with a sense of humor and a wink in the eye," Iverson said. "That's also a Ballard thing."