Anderson Steamship Co. Building "The Atlanta" at Houghton, 1909

Many might not know while strolling Carillon Point today, visiting the , or , that this site in Houghton was for decades the scene of some serious industry.

It started just after the start of the 20th Century with the creation of the Anderson Steamship Company, which later became the Lake Washington Shipyard.

The fascinating photo here shows a steamer, “The Atlanta,” on the ways and apparently preparing for launch in 1908. Notice the rotting wooden hull in the foreground? That’s all that was left of the boat “Gazelle” after she caught fire. That story might well be lost to history. Also note the outhouse over the water. 

Before the area became a shipyard it was the site of a dance hall for tour boats, Atlanta Park, apparently beginning in the 1890s.

During the 1920s the Lake Washington Shipyard transitioned to steel-hulled craft. It built a number of ferries, including the famed Kalakala, rebuilt in 1935 from the burned-out hull of a previous incarnation, the Peralta. I remember riding the streamlined steel beauty as a kid between Seattle and Bremerton – boy did she rattle!

During World War II, the shipyard built 29 warships for the U.S. Navy.

For their first 10 years, from 1976 to 1985, the Seattle Seahawks trained and headquartered here as well. Today the spot is known as Carillon Point, home of the Woodmark Hotel, Spa and Yacht Club, the aforementioned restaurant and various shops.