47-621: WWU Vikings Ice Hockey (ACHA) 1997-present The Bellingham Sportsplex is an American multi-use sports facility located in Bellingham, Washington . The Sportsplex contains two turf fields, primarily used for indoor soccer , and an ice rink , used by local amateur ice hockey teams, figure skating lessons and performances, home games for the Whatcom Soccer Academy Rapids soccer games along with semi-pro and collegiate Western Washington University hockey teams and
94-451: A low-power FM radio station which broadcast a number of old shows popular many decades ago, as well as programming of general interest to the community. KMRE was housed at the museum in the beginning, but moved to The Bellingham National Bank Building, a few blocks from the museum because they needed more space. The station's license was cancelled on June 20, 2023. Mindport is a privately funded arts and science museum. Whatcom Falls Park
141-588: A beer garden with local breweries held on Bay Street. From May to September, the Downtown Bellingham Partnership runs the Commercial Street Night Market, with local food, artisan vendors, live music and performances. The Whatcom Museum of History and Art sponsors exhibits of painting, sculpture, local history, and is an active participant in the city's monthly Gallery Walks which are pedestrian tours of
188-419: A city named Fairhaven , and Fairhaven residents would not support a city named Whatcom . They eventually settled on the name Bellingham , which remains today. Voting a second time for a final merger of Fairhaven and Whatcom into a single city, the resolution passed with 2163 votes for and 596 against. Bellingham was officially incorporated on December 28, 1903, as a result of the incremental consolidation of
235-619: A desirable and recognized local music scene. The presence of a large university-age population has helped Bellingham become home to a number of regionally and nationally noted musical acts such as Death Cab for Cutie , Odesza , The Posies , Crayon , Idiot Pilot , Mono Men , No-Fi Soul Rebellion , Sculptured , Federation X , The Trucks, Black Eyes & Neckties , Black Breath , The High Mountain String Band, Shimmertraps, Dizzy Spins, and Shook Ones . Local independent record labels include Estrus Records and Clickpop Records . The city
282-509: A male householder with no wife present, and 53.5% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age in the city was 31.3 years. 15.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 23.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 22% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
329-713: A publication of the Independent Writers' Studio, has produced 9 volumes since 2010. The city is home to writers including Steve Martini and George Dyson . The Bellingham Public Library provides free library services at the Central Library, Barkley Branch and Fairhaven Branch. Bellingham's theater culture is boosted by the performing arts department at Western Washington University. There are several theaters and productions in Bellingham: The Whatcom Peace & Justice Center
376-551: A short lived population growth that established the community. Coal was mined in the Bellingham Bay area from the mid-19th to the mid-20th centuries starting when Henry Roeder's agents discovered coal south of Whatcom Creek, in an area called Sehome, now downtown Bellingham, in 1854. They sold the coal-bearing land to San Francisco investors who established the Bellingham Bay Coal Company, eventually
423-740: A subsidiary of the Black Diamond Coal Mining Company . After a hundred years of extensive mining beneath present-day Bellingham, the last mine closed in 1955. In the early 1890s, three railroad lines arrived, connecting the bay cities to a nationwide market of builders. In 1889, Pierre Cornwall and an association of investors formed the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company (BBIC). The BBIC invested in several diverse enterprises such as shipping, coal, mining, railroad construction, real estate sales and utilities. Even though their dreams of turning
470-445: A total area of 30.511 square miles (79.02 km ), of which, 28.198 square miles (73.03 km ) is land and 2.313 square miles (5.99 km ) is water. The lowest elevations are at sea level along the waterfront. Alabama Hill is one of the higher points in the city at about 500 feet (150 m). Elevations of 800 feet (240 m) are found near Yew Street Hill north of Lake Padden and near Galbraith Mountain. South and eastward of
517-696: A wage earner in Bellingham is $ 49,363, which is below the Washington State average of $ 66,870. In the first quarter of 2017, Bellingham's median home sale was $ 382,763, compared to the Whatcom County median of $ 322,779. Strong job and income growth, along with low inventory of homes for sale, have contributed to a median monthly rental payment in February 2017 of $ 1,526. According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,
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#1732801954915564-618: Is a 241-acre (98 ha) public park encompassing the Whatcom Creek gorge, running directly through the heart of the city. It has four sets of waterfalls and several miles of walking trails. Popular activities during warmer weather include swimming, fishing, and strolling along the numerous walking trails. On June 10, 1999, the Olympic pipeline explosion occurred in Whatcom Falls Park, killing three boys who were playing in
611-545: Is rare, although some summers are noticeably drier than others and some normally reliable wells have been known to run dry in August and September. Nevertheless, crops are more frequently ruined by too much rain rather than too little. Bellingham's proximity to the Fraser River valley occasionally subjects it to a harsh winter weather pattern (termed a 'north-Easter') wherein an upper-level trough drives cold Arctic air from
658-451: Is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington . It lies 21 miles (34 km) south of the U.S.–Canada border , between Vancouver , British Columbia, 52 miles (84 km) to the northwest and Seattle 90 miles (140 km) to the south. The population was 91,482 at the 2020 census , and estimated to be 94,720 in 2023. It is the site of Western Washington University , Bellingham International Airport , and
705-709: Is the intersection of the territories of many Coast Salishan peoples. The Lummi , Nooksack , Samish , and Nuwhaha in particular fished in Bellingham Bay and shared the hunting and gathering grounds in the nearby forests and prairies. Indigenous people continue to live in and around Bellingham, particularly the Lummi, who have a reservation directly west of the city. The modern city of Bellingham, incorporated in 1903, consolidated four settlements: Bellingham, Whatcom, Fairhaven, and Sehome. It takes its name from Bellingham Bay , named by George Vancouver in 1792, for Sir William Bellingham . The first European immigrants reached
752-415: The 2020 census , there were 91,482 people, 39,236 households, and 18,252 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census , there were 80,885 people, 34,671 households, and 16,129 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,986.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,153.2/km ). There were 36,760 housing units at an average density of 1,357.5 per square mile (524.1/km ). The racial makeup of
799-730: The Strait of Georgia . It lies west of Mount Baker and Lake Whatcom (from which it gets its drinking water) and north of the Chuckanut Mountains and the Skagit Valley . Whatcom Creek runs through the center of the city. Bellingham is 18 miles (29 km) south of the US-Canada border and 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Vancouver. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has
846-650: The Canadian interior southwesterly through the Fraser River Canyon. Such an event was recorded on November 28, 2006, when air temperatures of 12 °F (−11 °C) were accompanied by 30 to 48 miles per hour (48 to 77 km/h) winds. Wind chill values reached −10 °F (−23 °C) according to NOAA . Several days into this pattern, local ponds and smaller lakes freeze solidly enough to allow skating. These outflow winds also can collide with Gulf of Alaska moisture and create ice, snow, or heavy rains;
893-549: The Electric Corporation of Boston to purchase a large block of shares. In 1890, Fairhaven developers bought the tiny community of Bellingham. Whatcom and Sehome merged in 1891 to form New Whatcom (1903 act of the State legislature dropped "New" from the name.) At first, attempts to combine Fairhaven and Whatcom failed, and there was controversy over the name of the proposed new city. Whatcom citizens would not support
940-545: The Native American peoples who continue to call the geographic region their home. In 2015, the Seattle Arctic drilling protests spread to Bellingham when a protester chained herself to the anchor chain of a Royal Dutch Shell ship for 63 hours. In May 2024, students at Western Washington University formed a pro-Palestine encampment outside of Old Main. It has since disbanded after negotiating with
987-451: The US. Despite this, Bellingham has less overcast days on average than Seattle (SeaTac), Everett (Paine Field) and Olympia. The hottest summer days rarely exceed 90 °F (32 °C) and the warmest temperature on record is 100 °F (38 °C) on August 12, 2021. This is markedly cooler than the record high for Seattle (108 °F (42 °C)) and most other Washington locations. Drought
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#17328019549151034-545: The area about 1852 when Henry Roeder and Russel Peabody set up a lumber mill at Whatcom, now the northern part of Bellingham. Lumber cutting and milling continues to the present in Whatcom county. At about the same time, Dan Harris arrived, claiming a homestead along Padden Creek, and after acquiring surrounding properties, platted the town of Fairhaven in 1883. In 1858, the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush caused
1081-597: The campus), and York. Bellingham's climate is generally mild and typical of the Puget Sound region ; classified as warm-summer Mediterranean ( Köppen : Csb ) or oceanic ( Trewartha : Do ). The city is strongly influenced by the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains . The Cascades to the east block continental influence, while the Olympics provide a rain shadow effect that buffers Bellingham from much of
1128-633: The cities by the bay into a Pacific Northwest metropolis never came to fruition, the BBIC made an immense contribution to the economic development of Bellingham. BBIC was not the only outside firm with an interest in the bay area utilities. The General Electric Company of New York purchased the Fairhaven Line and New Whatcom street rail line in 1897. In 1898, the utility merged into the Northern Railway and Improvement Company which prompted
1175-497: The city limits are taller foothills of the North Cascades mountains. Mount Baker is the largest peak in the local area, with a summit elevation of 10,778 feet (3,285 m) that is only 31 miles (50 km) from Bellingham Bay. Mount Baker is visible from many parts of the city and western Whatcom County. Lake Whatcom forms part of the eastern boundary of the city, while many smaller lakes and wetland areas are found around
1222-456: The city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female. As of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 32,530, and the median income for a family was $ 47,196. Males had a median income of $ 35,288 versus $ 25,971 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,483. About 9.4% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those aged 65 or over. The mean annual salary of
1269-445: The city was 84.9% White , 1.3% African American , 1.3% Native American , 5.1% Asian , 0.3% Pacific Islander , 2.8% from other races , and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population. There were 34,671 households, of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had
1316-547: The day. Bellingham's proximity to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and to the Inside Passage to Alaska helped to retain some cannery operations. Pacific American Fisheries (P.A.F.), for example, shipped empty cans to Alaska, where they were packed with fish and shipped back. The city is situated on Bellingham Bay which is protected by Lummi Island , Portage Island , and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto
1363-505: The downtown core. Some are in very close proximity. The Bellingham Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from early April to late December. Originally opened in 1993, the Farmers Market now features more than 50 vendors, music and community events. The association also operates a weekly Wednesday market in nearby Fairhaven. Wednesday nights in the summer see Downtown Sounds, a family-friendly concert series featuring food booths and
1410-588: The early history of the city. Much of Harris's early life is unclear. He was born on Long Island in New York , with Southampton , Patchogue , Sag Harbor , and Bridgehampton cited by various sources as his birthplace. On the other hand, an obituary in the Los Angeles Times gave his birthplace as Maine. Sources also differ on when exactly Harris was born, with dates ranging from 1826 to 1833. This Washington (state) biographical article
1457-592: The first city in the state to do so. In 2012, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the federal government to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in the case of FEC v. Citizens United by declaring that U.S. Constitutional rights apply to natural persons and not to corporations. In 2014, coinciding with Columbus Day that celebrates the arrival of European explorers, the City Council officially established Coast Salish Day to celebrate
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1504-589: The four towns initially situated on the east of Bellingham Bay during the final decade of the 19th Century. Whatcom is today's "Old Town" area and was founded with Roeder's Mill in 1852. Sehome was an area of downtown founded with the Sehome Coal Mine in 1854. Bellingham was further south near Boulevard Park, founded in 1883 and purchased in 1890 by Fairhaven. Fairhaven was a large commercial district with its own harbor, founded in 1883, by Dan Harris , around his initial homestead on Padden Creek. Bellingham
1551-491: The freezing rain can create a phenomenon referred to as a "silver thaw" that produces hazardous roads among other inconveniences. Its reverse, the " Pineapple Express ", refers to acutely mild autumn and winter spells – for most of such a spell, an unusually warm and steady wind comes out of the south. It will typically follow several days of Arctic northeast outflow winds, and it can melt significant snow accumulations quickly, pushing drainage systems to their limits. As of
1598-529: The historic buildings of the city, offering history and art lessons for local schools and adult groups, and historic cruises on Bellingham Bay. The SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention , formerly known as the American Museum of Radio and Electricity, has a collection of rare artifacts from 1580 into the 1950s, providing educational resources about the history of electronics and radio broadcasting. The Spark Museum had founded KMRE FM KMRE-LP 102.3 FM ,
1645-489: The internationally recognized Bellingham Festival of Music . Bellingham is home to an active writers community at the local universities and independent of them. Western Washington University's English Department publishes the Bellingham Review . In 2011, the city hosted the first annual Chuckanut Writers Conference, run by Whatcom Community College and Village Books, a local bookstore. Clover, A Literary Rag,
1692-407: The largest employers in the city are: Craft beer is a major emerging industry in Bellingham. There are at least 15 breweries within Bellingham city limits and three additional breweries in greater Whatcom County. In 2022, these breweries combined won 23 medals at seven national and international brewery competitions. Most of Bellingham's breweries are located within a couple miles of each other in
1739-777: The local junior hockey team, the Bellingham Blazers . The Sportsplex's 37,000-square-foot (3,400 m) ice hockey rink opened on October 20, 1997, and cost $ 2 million to construct. It was owned by the Whitewater Ice Corporation, which had previously operated the defunct Whatcom County Sports Arena, on land leased from the city government. The indoor soccer field opened on January 10, 2000. 48°44′55″N 122°27′33″W / 48.748493°N 122.459067°W / 48.748493; -122.459067 Bellingham, Washington Bellingham ( / ˈ b ɛ l ɪ ŋ h æ m / BEL -ing-ham )
1786-550: The property into the town of Fairhaven in 1883 and began selling plots for gold. By 1889, Harris sold off his remaining land to Nelson Bennett and C. X. Larrabee for US$ 75,000 . Bennett and Larrabee continued to develop Fairhaven until its incorporation with other Bellingham Bay towns into the city of Bellingham in 1903. Harris retired to Los Angeles where he died in 1890. Residents of Bellingham today celebrate an annual festival in Harris's honor where visitors can learn about
1833-409: The rainfall approaching from the southwest. Bellingham receives an average annual rainfall of 34.84 inches (885 mm), which is slightly less than nearby Seattle. November is typically the wettest month, with numerous frontal rainstorms. Still, precipitation is distributed throughout the rainy period extending from October through April. Bellingham has lowest average sunshine amount of any city in
1880-655: The region. Situated at a latitude of 48.75 North, and thus north of the 48°34' parallel , Bellingham is one of only a few cities in the continental United States that experience astronomical twilight for the entire night. The phenomenon occurs every year between June 14 and 28. Bellingham's neighborhoods are Alabama Hill, Barkley, Birchwood, Columbia, Cordata, Cornwall Park, Downtown Central Business District, Edgemoor, Fairhaven , Happy Valley, Irongate, King Mountain, Lettered Streets, Meridian, Puget, Roosevelt, Samish, Sehome, Silver Beach, South, South Hill, Sunnyland, Whatcom Falls, Western Washington University (WWU) (including
1927-509: The southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway . Bellingham is the northernmost city with a population of more than 90,000 people in the contiguous United States . The area around Bellingham Bay , named in 1792 by George Vancouver , is the ancestral home of several Coast Salish groups. European settlement in modern-day Bellingham began in the 1850s and several coal mining towns grew in later years. The city of Bellingham
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1974-623: The university. Daniel J. Harris Daniel Jefferson " Dirty Dan " Harris ( c. 1833 – August 18, 1890) was an early settler of the Bellingham Bay area and founder of the town of Fairhaven, Washington . Following a stint as a whaler in the Pacific Ocean, Harris arrived in Washington Territory in either 1853 or 1854. After years of trading and buying land surrounding his original homestead, he platted
2021-517: The vicinity. Operated by Olympic Pipe Line Company, the pipeline that crossed Whatcom and Hanna Creeks leaked gasoline that turned the creeks pink, and then exploded into flames. To the east of the city lies Lake Whatcom , which provides the local public water supply and is the source of Whatcom Creek. Bellis Fair Mall , the city's main shopping mall, opened in 1988. Bellingham's location between two major cities, universities, record labels, and music magazines have all contributed to making Bellingham
2068-412: Was incorporated in 1903 through the consolidation of several settlements, among them Fairhaven . Local industries shifted away from coal in the mid-20th century; the industrial areas on the Bellingham waterfront have undergone redevelopment into a mixed-use neighborhood since the 2000s. Bellingham has been inhabited by Indigenous peoples for millennia. The city of Bellingham and its surrounding area
2115-632: Was also home to What's Up! Magazine which covered the local music scene for 22 years ending in March 2020, and Lemonade Magazine, devoted to music and entertainment of all kinds. Bellingham is also the home of an active classical music scene which includes the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra (formerly the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra), North Sound Youth Symphony, numerous community music groups and choirs, and
2162-492: Was founded in 2002 by local activists, and has been one of the most active such centers in the nation. In October 2006, the Bellingham City Council passed a Troops Home! resolution, making Bellingham the first city in the state of Washington to pass the resolution. Two years later, the City Council passed a resolution urging elected representatives and the federal government to avoid war with Iran, becoming
2209-557: Was the site of the Bellingham riots against East Indian ( Sikh ) immigrant workers in 1907. A mob of 400–500 white men, predominantly members of the Asiatic Exclusion League , with intentions to exclude East Indian immigrants from the work force of the local lumber mills, attacked the homes of the South Asian Indians. The Indians were mostly Sikhs but were labeled as Hindus by much of the media of
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