Residential Ballard is generally described as extending from the 8th Avenue NW to the east and the bluff to the west, and from NW 85th Street on the north to NW 65th Street to the south. The area primarily contains single family houses, but also includes a collection of mutli-family dwellings, commercial buildings, schools, churches, and other buildings. Most of the historic buildings in Ballard are modest cottages and builder's houses, and were not architect-designed. Building styles include, but are not limited to, Victorian (primarily Queen Anne), vernacular, Craftsman, American Foursquare, Colonial Revival (including variations), Tudor Revival, Minimal Traditional, and Ranch. The historic building fabric of Ballard is threatened by a rapid pace of development.
The City of Ballard was incorporated in 1890. It was the first community to incorporate after Washington achieved statehood in 1889. Although population increased rapidly, north Ballard was still relatively rural. In 1907, primarily due to lack of adequate water for its population of 15,000, Ballard citizens voted to be annexed to Seattle to ensure a good water supply for the area.
After annexation Ballard’s street names were changed to conform to Seattle’s: Ship Street turned into 65th Street, Main Street became 15th Avenue. During the Great Depression and World War II, construction in Ballard nearly ground to a halt, with the exception of some houses built by Earl F. Mench. However, following World War II, fueled by the G.I. bill and the rise of the automobile, Ballard boomed again, and new housing followed. In recent years, the demand for new housing has spurred a tremendous amount of change in Ballard, with old, modest houses being replaced by large box houses and multi-family units. These changes threaten to alter the character and feeling of this historic neighborhood.
This Queen Anne house was built in 1906, and in 1910 Delbert and William Ely lived in the house. Delbert worked as a clerk for the Chicago Milwaukee and Puget Sound Railway and William worked as
a master marine. By 1917, D. M. McGinley lived in the house and from 1930 -1951 Charles J. McGinley lived in the house. Charles was a fireman. Charles lived with his family of John, Susan, and Mary McGinley. In 1913 the Kelly family has moved into the house and appear to rent. The family includes Daniel and Mary Kelly McGinley and their adult children, Susan, John, James, Charles, and Daniel Jr. Daniel
worked for the Seattle Fire Department. Eventually Charles (Chas) also joins the fire department and
eventually serves as a Battalion Chief. John served in the Navy during World War I and became a
marine engineer. Susan is listed as the owner of the house on the King County Property Card in 1924
and in 1964. The family lived in the house until 1966. Tanya Davis and Todd Schulte have owned the house since 2000. Sources
Polk City Directories
King County Department of Assessments
Puget Sound Regional Archives
US Census 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940
Seattle Times (11/18/1939, 1/11/1965, 7/7/1966)
References:
Ballard Historical Society Classic Home Tour guides.
Crowley, Walt. Seattle Neighborhoods: Ballard--Thumbnail History. HistoryLink File # 983, accessed 6/1/16.
King County Tax Assessor Records, 1937-2014.
McAlester, Virginia Savage.
A Field Guide to American Houses (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Alfred A> Knopf Press, 2013.
Oschsner, Jeffrey Karl
Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects. Seattle, WA: University of
Washington Press, 1994.
Passport to Ballard: The Centennial Story. Seattle, WA: Ballard News Tribune, 1988.
