Category Archives: Balch

Albert Balch, Part Two: Finding a Career in the 1930s

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Albert Balch, developer of the View Ridge and Wedgwood neighborhoods of northeast Seattle, did not start out to work in real estate. As many college grads do, at first Balch struggled to find a suitable career. Albert Balch graduated from … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch | Tagged autograph collection, Neighborhood History, Seattle, View Ridge in Seattle, wooden money, WPLongform | Leave a comment

Albert Balch, Part One: Early Life

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

This series of articles will outline the life of Albert Balch, the developer who, beginning in 1941, built the Wedgwood houses which gave their name to the neighborhood in northeast Seattle. Balch’s father Albert S. Balch Sr. was from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch | Tagged Neighborhood History, Seattle, the founder of the Wedgwood neighborhood, Who created the Wedgwood neighborhood, WPLongform | 2 Comments

Working for Mr. Balch

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

The developer of the Wedgwood neighborhood, Albert Balch, was born in Gem, Idaho, finished high school in Blaine, Washington, and graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle. In 1934 Balch was thirty years old, married and about to become … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch, name of the neighborhood | Tagged 1950s in Wedgwood, Balch real estate office, Neighborhood History, Seattle | Leave a comment

Hamburgers in Wedgwood

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Wedgwood of the 1950s was a still-developing neighborhood with a lot of house construction in progress. Although Albert Balch’s original group of Wedgwood houses was finished (from NE 80th to 85th Streets on the west side of 35th Ave NE) … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch, businesses, community club (old), Controversies | Tagged land use and zoning, Neighborhood History, Seattle, Wedgwood in the 1950s | 8 Comments

From Yesler to Wedgwood

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

The intersection of NE 85th Street on 35th Avenue NE is the heart of the Wedgwood neighborhood and is its main commercial center. Today it is difficult to imagine that any corner of this intersection would be vacant, and yet … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch, boundaries, businesses, Land records and surveys, name of the neighborhood, Neighborhood features | Tagged land survey of 1855, Laurelhurst, Neighborhood History, Seattle, Wedgwood shopping center, Yesler sawmill | 5 Comments

Houses in Wedgwood: from Craftsman to Balch

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

All of Wedgwood didn’t come within the Seattle City limits until 1954, and up until that time the neighborhood retained its rural character. Wedgwood was thinly populated and there were many vacant lots whose owners were holding land as an investment. Many … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Balch, Houses, name of the neighborhood, trees | Tagged Balch houses, Craftsman houses, development of northeast Seattle neighborhoods, Neighborhood History, Seattle, traditional architecture | 3 Comments

Shearwater Part One: Navy Housing in Wedgwood in the 1940s

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Decatur Elementary School at 7711 43rd Ave NE in Wedgwood is on the site of what was Navy housing from 1945 to 1966. The first part of the school building was completed in 1961. With a later addition to the … Continue reading →

Posted in apartments, Balch, community club (old), Controversies, School histories, Shearwater | Tagged Decatur Elementary School Seattle, Navy housing, Neighborhood History, Seattle | Leave a comment

What about the “E” in Wedgwood?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

The Wedgwood neighborhood in Seattle took its name from a real estate development which was started in 1941 by Albert Balch. The naming happened gradually after Balch’s Wedgwood group of houses became well-known. In an April 1956 interview for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch, boundaries, businesses, name of the neighborhood | Tagged how did Wedgwood get its name, how to spell wedgwood, Neighborhood History, Seattle, Wedgwood or Wedgewood | Leave a comment

The Gateposts of Wedgwood

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

When Albert Balch, the developer of the Wedgwood neighborhood, put up stone gateposts at the entrance to his new housing area, he tapped into the gateposts’ symbolism of permanence and protection, qualities desired by young couples in search of homes.

Posted in Balch, businesses, gateposts, Neighborhood features | Tagged Neighborhood History, Seattle | Leave a comment

Parks in Wedgwood

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Wedgwood in Seattle History

Albert Balch, the developer of Wedgwood, intended to have some park space in the neighborhood but not all of his plans were realized, as he got busy with house-building. In 1941 Balch platted a forty-acre tract of land from 30th to 35th Avenues NE, … Continue reading →

Posted in Balch, Neighborhood features, parks | Tagged corner of 86th & 35th, Neighborhood History, Seattle | Leave a comment