Ship Canal Centennial Songwriting Competition

As the 100th Anniversary of the official opening of the Chittenden Locks and the Lake Washington Ship Canal approaches, various groups are sponsoring events for the public to participate in or attend. One of these is a songwriting competition sponsored by Maritime Folknet with prizes including hours of studio time at Jack Straw Studios being given to the winners. This is a chance for our musical community to bring their creativity and make it a part of a historical event.

Find more info for the Maritime Folknet contest here

Find more information on the activities surrounding the anniversary celebrations of the ship canal here. You can also find many historical maps, many videos with more to come by Vaun Raymond, articles on the local history and much, much more.

http://makingthecut100.org/

Many of the activities have received support from 4Culture, whose assistance is much appreciated.

Virginia V & Mohai Canal Cruise with Friends of the Ballard Locks

Thanks to a grant from 4 Culture the second cruise on the 1922 wooden steamship, the Virginia V (five), took place Sun. Aug 14,  with narration provided by Friends of the Ballard Locks, Mohai, and a representative for the Virginia V Foundation. This was the second sold out cruise and due to the success of both cruises, further cruises are being considered for the 2017 calendar year as part of the Making the Cut celebrations acknowledging the Centennial of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Chittenden Locks.
 Here are a few pics of the recent trip. The weather was beautiful, the vessel traffic was heavy so plan on bringing your patience if you join us next year.

Virgina V

With Mount Rainier in distance

Here's a link to our facebook page for more images.

friendsoftheballardlocks/


 Many groups are involved with many different projects which will be occurring this and next year. There will be a group effort to mark some of the original lake border on Aug 28. Here's some info on that:
 Making the Cut: The Locks, The Lakes, and a Century of Change

Chalk it up!
Mark your calendars for the following "happening!"
Drawing the Line: A Temporary Tracing of Lake Washington’s Historical Shoreline

Sunday, August 28th, 2016
10 am – 4 pm
Lake Washington Boulevard (approximately), between Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center and Seward Park
A hundred years ago this summer, the Montlake Cut was completed, and Lake Washington began to flow out into Lake Union (and then to Puget Sound, via the Ballard Locks). By October of 1916, Lake Washington was nine feet lower, and a whole lot of places that had been underwater no longer were. On August 28th (Bicycle Sunday), local historian and artist Mikala Woodward be temporarily reviving this vanished landscape, by walking the former shoreline with a field chalker. The journey will begin at the Mount Baker Rowing & Sailing Center at 10 am and wind up at Seward Park in the early afternoon. The chalk line is non-toxic and will last 3-5 days. A handout explaining the project and the history behind it will be available at info stations along the route. Many thanks to Amir Sheikh and the Waterlines Project for historical mapping, and to 4culture for a generous Heritage Project grant. For more information please contact Mikala Woodward at mikalawoodward AT gmail DOT com.

 

Making The Cut Website goes online

Thanks to a grant from 4 Culture, a new website has been launched with the goal of providing links to ongoing events commemorating the Centennial Anniversary of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Chittenden Locks. Over the next year, there will be a myriad of activities highlighting various aspects of the water way and how it affected Seattle and surrounding cities.

http://makingthecut100.org/

Many thanks to Stephen Schildbach for the design and creation of the site.