Past Meets Presence — A Voyage to Seattle’s Ballard Brewery District

Recent press from goodbeerhunting.com
Words by Holly Regan. Photos by Dave Riddile.

The Ballard district of Seattle started as a loser’s bet. 

Back in 1887, nobody wanted these 160 acres of “undesirable,” logged land hugging the Shilsole and Salmon Bays, just a few miles northwest of present-day downtown. They became the property of Captain William Rankin Ballard, but only after he lost a coin toss with Captain J.A. Hatfield. The two were dissolving an unprofitable partnership, the acreage payment from a cashless customer to their failed store.