Jennifer Ott and David B. Williams — 'Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal'

Third Place Books welcomes authors and Seattle historians Jennifer Ott and David B. Williams to our Lake Forest Park store for a conversation about their new book . Exploring the history and present of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Ballard Locks, this guide is an informative primer on our city's waterways.

This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

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This event is free to attend. Registration is required in advance.

How one canal reshaped Seattle's history, economy, and environment
A Michael J. Repass Book
Seattle's waterways are central to the city's identity, and none more so than the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Ballard (Hiram M. Chittenden) Locks. Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal: A History and Guide offers an accessible introduction to this engineering marvel and its ongoing significance. Adapted from the acclaimed Waterway, this portable edition distills decades of history into an engaging format ideal for both residents and visitors.
David B. Williams and Jennifer Ott chart the vision that drove the canal's creation and the dramatic changes it brought to the city's economy, neighborhoods, and natural environment. Along the way, they highlight the political struggles, industrial ambitions, and ecological consequences that shaped one of Seattle's defining projects.
Enhanced with a map of the locks and another featuring key sites along the ship canal, this edition doubles as both a history and a practical guide. It illuminates how the locks, once designed for commercial shipping, have evolved into one of Seattle's most popular destinations, where recreational boats, salmon ladders, and historic structures draw crowds year-round.
Clear, informative, and visually rich, Seattle's Locks and Ship Canal is both a primer on the city's past and a companion for exploring part of its present-day waterfront.

Jennifer Ott is executive director at HistoryLink.org and an environmental historian. Her works include Olmsted in Seattle: Creating a Park System for a Modern City and Where the City Meets the Sound: The Story of Seattle’s Waterfront.

David B. Williams is a naturalist, author, and educator. His many books include Seattle Walks: Discovering History and Nature in the City, Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound, and Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature, a collection from his free weekly newsletter, Street Smart Naturalist.

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events

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