Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, commonly called the Ballard Locks, opened in 1917 to connect the Lake Washington Ship Canal to Puget Sound and manage water levels between freshwater and saltwater bodies. The site includes a working locks chamber and a fish ladder that allows migrating salmon to bypass the locks, making it both an engineering landmark and a focal point for local salmon runs. The locks are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and are a longstanding civic and neighborhood landmark in Ballard.