Summer Concerts at the Locks

 

Summer is here and it's time for the Ballard Locks concert season to start. Come on over and enjoy free concerts every weekend through the summer at Seattle's historic Chittenden locks. Bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets and enjoy the music, watch the boats coming and going and watch the salmon returning. It's all free and is one of Seattle's best, family friendly events. 

 

 

The Crystal S (updated)

 

Researched and written by Tom O'Grady

 

 

While most of the posts on this blog feature aspects of the locks and grounds themselves, or historical events, this post will mark a decided departure from past posts. This is an article where the Ballard Locks are really just part of the backdrop of one of the more dramatic stories we've come across. But the fact that the locks were involved in even the slightest fashion, is all the excuse needed to share a great story.

This is not a drill!

Crystal S crew being rescued by the Bering Sea

The above photo was taken by the cook aboard the Bering Sea as it reached the 5 crew members from the now sunken Crystal S after they had spent the last 3 hours sitting atop their overturned lifeboat after abandoning ship. Although the text accompanying the photograph mentions that they had spent 9 hours adrift, 3 hours seems more accurate, although it might well have been 9 hours until they were landed safely back on shore after the incident.

Before going into what's known of the details of the boat's sinking, let's look into the development of the most crucial piece of equipment which was the primary reason for this story to have had the best of all possible outcomes, given the boat's failure.

David Williams and Jennifer Ott new Waterway book release event at Chittenden Locks

 On May 7 at 6pm Jennifer Ott and David Williams will give a presentation for the release of their revised Waterway book originally released in 2017. Their first release event of the revised edition was held at MOHAI and featured a slide show accompanying their talk, displays, and publications available for purchase and autographs by the authors. 

 

 

 

Here's a link to the event with all the details and which is free to the public.
 

Upcoming presentation at Chittenden Locks. 

 

MOHAI revised Waterway release event.

 

 Some historic photos from the Corps' photo archives.

Early laborers at the construction of the Government Locks

The White Sands drydock being towed through the large lock Oct. 4, 1975

Photo courtesy of MOHAI showing breaching of Montlake cofferdam.

July 4 1917 with USS Roosevelt leading boat parade through the Ship Canal.

David Williams StreetSmart Naturalist website

David Williams and Jennifer Ott new book launch at MOHAI

Book Launch at Mohai March 24, 2026 

 

Local authors David Williams and Jennifer Ott will be giving a presentation at MOHAI on Tuesday March 24, which will accompany their new book launch. Here's a link to the MOHAI post for further information. The event is free with registration by following the link. This is an updated version of their 2017 book, Waterway, which told the story of the construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Chittenden Locks. A highly detailed story of the project from it's inception in the late 1800's through it's construction, completion in 1916 and was published just before the Centennial Anniversary of it's official dedication on July 4, 1917.

 

Mohai book launch 

 

 

The brochure below was created from historical maps and documents and was included in a time capsule for the Army Corps of Engineers, to be opened in 2075. It uses the same type of records and maps preserved and relating to the construction of the Ship Canal and Chittenden Locks. It gives a flavor of the historical value sure to be present in the author's new release.