South Lake Union in Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Building Boats

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 22, 2024

1. Building Boats Marker

Inscription. By 1900, boatyards dotted the Lake Union shore, and after the Lake Washington Ship Canal opened in 1917, Lake Union Drydock opened as a major shipyard. Lake yards built pleasure boats, fishing boats, ferries and Navy ships — but none bigger than could fit through the locks!

Captions
(Left) From 1907 on, the Blanchard Boat Company built and repaired pleasure boats on Lake Union. Here, the 1928 launch of a powerboat, the Gadget, from the yard.
(Right) This Blanchard Boat Company photo shows the 42’ sloop Tola under construction in 1937. Famed naval architect Ben Seaborn produced the plans as his first commissioned design.

Erected by MOHAI (Museum of History & Industry).

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 47° 37.689′ N, 122° 20.228′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in South Lake Union. It can be reached from Terry Avenue North. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle WA 98109, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast,

in the Pacific Northwest,

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Cascade Range,

in the Inside Passage,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Story of Virginia V (here, next to this marker); Fisheries (a

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few steps from this marker); The Steamer Virginia V (a few steps from this marker); Arthur Foss (within shouting distance of this marker); At Work on Lake Union (within shouting distance of this marker); Clock from Carroll’s Fine Jewelry (within shouting distance of this marker); Swiftsure (within shouting distance of this marker); Camas Mill Millstone (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Seattle.

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 22, 2024

2. Building Boats Marker

Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, August 22, 2024

3. Building Boats Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 9, 2025, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.