The community of Ballard is located in northwest Seattle. Ballard is famous for its Nordic roots, Ballard locks and wonderful family-focused neighborhoods.

According to the City of Seattle, Ballard is made up of a group of smaller neighborhoods, including Sunset Hill, Loyal Heights, Whittier Heights, West Woodland and Adams. In practice, Sunset Hill and Loyal Heights are normally broken out as distinct neighborhoods, while the other areas are more commonly called “Ballard”. In addition, real estate agents sometimes lump parts of Crown Hill and Phinny Ridge into Ballard.

Downtown
Downtown Ballard is a wonderful walking district centered on Market St and Ballard Ave. The area is filled with great shops, dining, and lots of resident artists. Much more information on the local scene can be found at:InBallard .
Some local venues of interest include:

• Tractor Tavern
• The People’s Pub (Die Volkskneipe)
• Thaiku

Nordic Heritage
Ballard’s nordic heritage shines through in the attitude of the locals (pretty laid-back and family oriented), the historical sites (such as the nordic heritage museum), the Luthern Churches all over town, and the many festivals in the area (such as the Seafoodfest and the annual Norwegian Constitution Day Parade.

Ballard History
Here is a description presented by the Ballard Historical Society:

In Ballard, you’ll find a microcosm of Pacific Northwest history, tradition and architecture. Bordered by Puget Sound, Shilshole Bay and Salmon Bay, Ballard has a rich history filled with maritime connections. Originally home to mill workers, fishermen and boat builders—many of whom emigrated from Scandinavia—Ballard was a separate city until annexed to Seattle in 1907. Today Ballard maintains its character as a small town within a big city, blessed with varied architecture and a notable Historic Landmark District.

Ballard Community
Ballard has a very strong community with lots of local parks, very good schools, a new library (complete May 2005), and an active community center.

Real Estate Information
Most of Ballard was built-out between 1890 and 1940, with a higher percentage of older homes the closer that you get to the canal area. The price of homes in Ballard varies tremendously. While there are still “deals” to be found for around $300K in some parts of Ballard, many homes with a view of the Sound can go for upwards of a million dollars. There is so much that could be said about real estate in Ballard that I’m not going to even attempt it here… If you want to find out more, try my Ballard Info category of listings.

Ballard Blogs
A great way to get a feel for Ballard is through the many people who live here. Conveniently, I’m not the only Ballard native with a blog. Are you a Ballard Blogger who wants to be added to this list? Just let me know! Here are some others:

• InEssential
• Irony Central
• Seesaw
• Mahalie
• Contact Sheet

Other sites with information on Ballard:

• NWSource
• Post-Intelligencer
• Ballard Chamber of Commerce
• Definitive Guide: acrobat file (*.pdf) produced by the Chamber of Commerce)
• City of Seattle Virtual Tour of the Ballard Locks