Story and photos by Larry Vogel
In a short ceremony on Monday, Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling acknowledged the Ballinger family for their generous gift of land to fill a “missing link” on the popular Interurban Trail through Edmonds. The ceremony was conducted on the Interurban Trail plaza at 76th Avenue West and McAleer Way.
Following the right-of-way of the old Interurban Railway, the Interurban Trail is among our community’s prime recreational assets. A favorite of walkers, jogger, cyclists and others, the 15-mile trail is a joint project between Snohomish County, the cities of Everett and Lynnwood, and Public Utility District No.1 of Snohomish County. (You can read more about the trail here.)
Thanks to the Ballinger family, trail users may now avoid traffic by using a combination of designated bike lanes and off-road paved pathways between the King-Snohomish County line and where the main trails picks up in Mountlake Terrace.
“Donations like this are incredibly important,” Earling said. “In addition to enhancing safety and convenience for trail users, they help to establish and maintain a sense of history. Visitors 15 years from now will see the plaque we place today and know that the Ballinger family’s generous contribution made this trail possible.”
On hand for the ceremony were Gail Ballinger Vaughan, daughter of Richard A. Ballinger, who purchased the land in 1901. Ms. Vaughan spent her early childhood on the lake, and recalled many happy days in what was then a country retreat. Ballinger, a former Seattle mayor and Secretary of the Interior under President Taft, used the land as a weekend retreat for himself and his family.
Also present were grandson Rick Ballinger, son of Gail’s brother, Richard. Rick, his wife Laurel and daughter Neva traveled from their home in Des Moines, Iowa to attend the event.
“My dad would have loved this,” Rick Ballinger said.
This is wonderful! Thank you for donating this!
In 1965 my parents bought a large lot on Lake Ballinger. Come to find out, Judge Ballinger had bought that house and redesigned in for his family to live in after his retirement. Gail’s mother had her bedroom in a living room we had made for my Grandmother. Gail was able to walk through the house just prior to my mom’s passing. Now the house is gone, but memories last forever. I loved living on the lake and now live just off of the 9th tee and watch the people enjoy the inter-urban trail. Nice going on a job well done.