In commemoration of the 102nd anniversary of Ballard’s annexation to Seattle, here are pictures of a couple of Ballard Historical Society postcards from just after annexation, bought at Archie McPhee this week. First, a streetcar:

Second, a look down Ballard Avenue at the close of World War I:

It’s a nice coincidence that Archie McPhee, progenitor of the Free Ballard bumper stickers, shut down in Ballard on the eve of the anniversary:

With the Archie McPhee shop about to close up and reopen over in Wallingford, here are some pictures of the emptying interior:

The counter area:

And another shot of the counter area:

I noticed a garage door on the east side of the store, mentioned it to one of the Archie McPhee clerks as something boats would use, and found out that apparently the building’s going to be a marine store once McPhee leaves.

About a month after the demise of the print P-I, here’s a shot of an empty P-I coin box outside Java Bean on the day of its demise.

Spying the Ballard Seagle in its pond off 28th Street.

A spruce tree coated with snow waits out winter.

A mural of what looks like a chinook and a coho salmon leaping on the side of the Sunset Bowl building.

On last Sunday, the 28th, the New York Times got around to writing up their own story about Edith Macefield. Here’s a picture of the start of it:

The Ballard Skate Bowl on the afternoon of the 21st.

Ballard Market as seen on the afternoon of the 21st.

In the middle of the December snowstorm, I went down to the railroad overpass at 57th Street and took this picture: