The plank road deficiencies of Alki Avenue were recognized by the Alki community and its Duwamish Peninsula neighbors. By late 1921, the community began to organize 61st seeking improvements to Alki and Avenues. The proposal was to pave Alki Avenue from the West Seattle Ferry dock at today’s California Place, just north of the Spokane 63rd Street viaduct to Avenue and then south, across Admiral Way, to Beach Drive and 61st Avenue.26 On August 31, 1922 the Seattle City Council authorized the project and available.27 made funding Just shy of a year later the project was completed and the “potlatch.”28 community, in celebration, held a

Harry Crosby recognized the automobile growth industry and the opportunities it presented. In early 1924, he began making plans for a new ferry service. In May 1924, Crosby purchased the 66 foot, 12-car capacity, ferryboat Elk. This boat was used that summer and fall on Crosby’s Ballard–Kingston Ferry route via the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The Ballard-Kingston Ferry, was not well received. Crosby repurposed the Elk for the Alki-Manchester service. Crosby directed a lengthening of the Elk by 38 feet thereby increasing the boat’s capacity. The Elk was renamed Airline. The Airline would initiate Alki–Manchester Ferry service while Crosby awaited delivery of the newly constructed ferryboat Crosline. The Crosline was 142 feet long and had a 65-car capacity.29

On December 16, 1924 the Crosby Direct Line Ferries purchased from the Olson Land Company (a corporate successor of the Olson family) a shoreline lot known as Lot I of Point.30 the Plat of Alki (See Map 4 below). Crosby built his ferry dock at the lot’s far eastern boundary. The dock was adjacent to the Alki Beach Park. He chose the same site as that used by the 1907-08 era dock thought to be owned by Olsons’ Alki Dock Company. The four residential structures to the west of the dock, also located on Lot I, remained under Crosby’s ownership. The ferry dock’s site on Lot I was a parcel providing a forty (40) foot Alki Avenue frontage. Alki Avenue was the main thoroughfare serving dock entry and exit. Cars and passengers arrived from the east. Since the ferry provided no holding area for cars awaiting ferry loading, Alki Avenue in front of the Alki Beach Park served as a car line-up. Crosby’s plan, if any, for use of the land beneath the residential structures located on Lot I is unknown. The dock was constructed of wood pilings and decking and was built in under four (4) months. The parcel occupied by the ferry dock and terminal facilities was 6,660 square feet in size. This parcel would lot.31 be comparable to that of a modest suburban house Crosby had secured a dock site allowing him to seize the shortest ferry route across the Sound.

Crosby’s Crosby’s dock site was two blocks beyond the end of the nearest paved street at and Alki Avenues. By various Seattle City resolutions and ordinances, a local 63rd improvement district was established to finance the paving of Alki Avenue from Avenue, across the dock frontage and to the western boundary of Tract I. The paving owners.32 expense was to be paid by special assessments upon abutting property Crosby’s ferry patrons would not have to suffer the indignity of trudging through mud, muck or dust. A continuous paved surface now led to the ferry dock from Seattle’s center as well as other regional points.

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