COURTESY OF MIMI SHERIDAN

B. Marcus Priteca, Seattle's world-famous architect of motion-picture palaces, assisted in the 1940 design of the U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center at the south end of Lake Union. In the contemporary view, the Center for Wooden Boats fills the slip formerly held by minesweepers, patrol craft, destroyers and the occasional submarine.

	PAUL DORPAT

There were exceptions. In the mid-1850s a mill operated a short while near the future Fremont until it was torched. In the mid-1860s a few prominent locals schemed unsuccessfully to turn the lake into their private commercial-fishing reserve. And through most of the 1870s coal scows were towed from Montlake to (the future) Westlake Avenue.

Since 1940 the great, white, art-deco pile of reinforced concrete raised for the Navy to teach its recruits and reserves has dominated the southern end of Lake Union. As detailed by historic preservationist Mimi Sheridan in her study of the Armory, inside were a full-scale ship's bridge, rifle range, chart room, radio room and "wet trainer" — a watertight room filled so sailors could practice evacuating a flooded ship.

This coming weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Naval Armory's big drill room will serve as both a second sound stage for the live music of Folklife Festival and an exhibition hall for AKCHO, the Association of King County Historical Organizations. The Maritime Heritage Foundation will be among about 50 groups participating in this big free show. Since the Navy donated the property to the city (from whom it originally received the land) in 2000, the foundation has been developing the Armory. The vision is that the south end of Lake Union will grow into a center for maritime heritage comparable to the Pacific Science Center and the Museum of Flight. This weekend is a splendid opportunity to visit the vision nearly at its birth.

Paul Dorpat specializes in historical photography and has published several books on early Seattle.