Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks opened in 1917 as part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal project, providing a navigable connection between Lake Washington, Lake Union, and Puget Sound. The lock complex continues to operate the original chamber system and early 20th-century control infrastructure that regulate water levels and vessel passage. An adjacent fish ladder allows salmon to migrate between freshwater and saltwater, making the site both an engineering work and a long-standing public resource.