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The Port of Seattle is celebrating its centennial this year with numerous events throughout the year. With Fisherman's Terminal and Shilshole Bay Marina, the Port's history is very much tied with Ballard's history. In fact, Fisherman's Terminal was the Port's first property. Following is a brief history of the Port's main properties in Ballard.

Fishermen's Terminal

Fisherman's Terminal was the Port of Seattle's first property and as the Port began its Comprehensive Scheme of Development soon after municipal ownership was approved by the voters of King County in 1911, Fishermen’s Terminal became a priority.

Fishermen in the area needed a homeport and in 1912, land on Salmon Bay was acquired for this purpose. The original building was dedicated in 1914 in front of a huge fanfare and parade of 200 boats, and what was known then as Salmon Bay Terminal, or Fishermen’s Headquarters, became home to the North Pacific Fishing Fleet. This development occurred at the same time the Hiram Chittenden Locks were being completed on the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

By 1917, there was a wharf used for lumber shipments and storing vegetable oil, a transit shed, a net warehouse, and Meacham & Babcock Shipbuilding Company began building vessels for the Emergency Fleet Corporation. The Port built tracks and installed a 75-ton Shear-Leg Derrick to facilitate the shipbuilding operations.

The need for ship building decreased after World War 1, and the Port sought to keep pace with the growing fishing industry. Salmon was among the top exports in Seattle throughout the 1920s. Other Port properties, such as Spokane Street Terminal and Bell Street Terminal, served as cold storage, salting and barreling facilities, and exportation points.

Demand for fish slowed in the 1930s, but after recovery from the depression, plans for an expansion started taking shape and in 1939, the Port constructed sawtooth mooring piers, a unique design originated by George T. Treadwell, Chief Engineer. More improvements were on their way.

The Port sought to continue the precedent it set in 1914 of providing the finest commercial fishing facility in the nation, and a bond issue was approved in 1948 for expansion and remodel to keep up with the needs of the industry. Bulkheads, fill, dredging, construction of net sheds and improved vehicle access all led to the resulting $1 million expansion which was completed in 1952 and the Port renamed the property Fishermen’s Terminal. The North Pacific Fishing Fleet had itself a shiny new homeport, and Seattle had a new restaurant, called The Wharf, with The Moby Dick Taproom and a quirky lounge called the Valhalla Room. Jakk C. Corsaw was commissioned to create murals for the Valhalla Room and Captain Ahab and Moby Dick paintings. Seattle residents may best remember Corsaw as the artist who developed the concept for the globe atop the Seattle Post-Intelligencer building that remains today. The legend of Valhalla served as inspiration for the artwork at Fishermen’s Terminal.

A unique aspect of the terminal is the diversity in the fishermen and women that make it their home. Norwegian, Swedish, Croatian and other immigrants started fishing in the region before the terminal was built and made the communities of Ballard and Magnolia their home. Many descendents of those same fishermen carry on the tradition today, and the connection between the neighboring communities and the ship canal on its shore is still strong.

Renovation and modernization again began in 1987, with a $13 million plan to provide new net sheds, upgraded commercial facilities, increased support services, parking, and bigger docks. The most recent upgrades bring a $60 million investment in the future of the fishing fleet and the terminal with moorage for 700 boats, side-tie dock space, restaurants, and additional services. It also houses The Fishermen’s Memorial, a bronze and stone sculpture bearing the names of more than 500 local commercial fishermen and women lost at sea. Today, residents and visitors can access the docks to buy fish directly from the fishermen and can enjoy the annual Fishermen’s Fall Festival in September.

Shilshole

The Port had its eyes on creating recreational boat moorage for the public back in the 1930s. The State of Washington deeded tidelands at Shilshole Bay in 1929 to the City of Seattle, which conveyed the land to the Port in 1931. But the Great Depression and World War II put marina plans on the back burner for more than 20 years. The first major breakthrough came in 1955 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the breakwater.

In 1956 and 1959, the City of Seattle deeded more land to Port, providing the needed area for a new marina.

In 1962, Shilshole Bay Marina offered moorage for 1500 boats, and was formally dedicated during Seattle’s World Fair – Century 21.

In 1962, the Port dedicated the Leif Erikson statue, which has since done a 180 from the original direction it faced.

In 1965, Undersea Gardens, with 112 underwater marine wildlife viewing windows, opened at Shilshole Bay Marina. It closed just a few years later and was moved to Oregon.

In 1968 King Olaf visited Shilshole.

In 1973, the 165-foot historic schooner Wawona paid a visit to Shilshole and got a huge welcome from the community. Built in 1897, the Wawona originally hauled lumber from the Pacific Northwest to California, but in 1914 she became an Alaskan fishing vessel. When World War II broke out, the Wawona was put to work transporting aircraft supplies for Boeing.

In 2008, an $80 million renovation was completed. The 23 new docks offer wider slips in more sizes, plus generous fairways, Internet, cable, and up to 240 amps of shore power. Shilshole earned a 5-star rating from the King County Envirostars program and is a certified “clean marina” using environmental best practices, recycling, waste disposal and more. The new administration building makes use of natural light to reduce energy costs.