Old Bellingham in Photographs

Bellingham · the photo archive

Old Bellingham, in photographs

A gallery of historical photographs of Bellingham and Whatcom County — the waterfront, the mills and canneries, downtown streets, Fairhaven, and the people who built it all — arranged as a walk through time. Tap any photo to view it full screen.

Every image here is in the public domain or under a free license, gathered from Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress, and university archives — free for you to view, share, and reuse. Each photo credits its source.

Before 1890Frontier days and the four towns

The 1856 Pickett House in Bellingham — The Pickett House1856

A woman seated on a log-house cellar door beside two men, Whatcom County, 1870s — A Pioneer Family’s Homesteadc. 1875

1883 photo of the brick T.G. Richards store that served as Whatcom County's territorial courthouse — The Territorial Courthouse1883

1884 photograph of Daniel Dirty Dan Harris — Dirty Dan Harris1884

Around 1885 photograph of a young boy standing beside an enormous redcedar stump in Blaine, Washington — A Boy and a Giant Stumpc. 1885

Studio cabinet-card portrait of a bearded man in a suit, Fairhaven, around 1885 — A Fairhaven Gentlemanc. 1885

A group of 1880s loggers standing with a long crosscut saw and a team of oxen near Blaine — Loggers and Their Ox Teamc. 1885

Sepia 1888 photograph of an early frontier town with dirt roads, scattered wooden buildings, and stump-covered cleared land labeled Bellingham formerly Sehome June 1888 — Bellingham, Formerly Sehome, 18881888

Studio portrait of two young girls in matching dresses, Lynden, around 1888 — Two Lynden Girlsc. 1888

1889 photograph of Frankenberger's sawmill on the Fairhaven waterfront — Frankenberger’s Waterfront Sawmill1889

1889 photograph of the early waterfront town of Sehome on Bellingham Bay — The Bayside Town of Sehome1889

1889 photograph of the sternwheel steamboat Triumph on the Nooksack River near Lynden — The Sternwheeler Triumph on the Nooksack1889

The 1890sBoom, bust, and a city in the making

Circa 1890 photo of a pebble beach shoreline on Wasp Island in the San Juan Islands — Pebble Beach in the San Juansc. 1890

Three-masted sailing ship tied up at a wooden dock in early Fairhaven — Tall Ship at the Fairhaven Wharfc. 1890

1890 photograph of an early Bellingham fire department hose company in uniform with a hose carriage on a plank street — The Bellingham Fire Department1890

Black and white photo of the Blue Canyon schoolhouse beside a railway trestle on Lake Whatcom — The Blue Canyon School1890s-1910s

The ornate interior lobby of the Fairhaven Hotel in 1890 — The Fairhaven Hotel Lobby1890

A furnished guest room inside the Fairhaven Hotel, 1891 — A Room at the Fairhaven Hotel1891

Interior of an 1891 Sumas confectionery with a soda fountain, wooden stools, and candy display cases — Barlow’s Confectionery, Sumas1891

Sepia around-1891 photo of the first wooden schoolhouse on Bellingham Bay — The First Schoolhouse on the Bayc. 1891

False-front Trimbell Brothers blacksmith and wagon shop in Sumas, Washington, 1891, with two men in the doorway — Trimbell Brothers Blacksmith Shop1891

Circa 1892 photograph of rowboats and a sternwheeler at a boat landing on Lake Whatcom — Boat Landing on Lake Whatcomc. 1892

1893 photograph of agricultural workers harvesting flax in a Whatcom County field — Harvesting Flax in Whatcom County1893

Black and white 1893 photo of a flax field with harvested shocks in Whatcom County — Harvesting Flax in Whatcom County1893

Around 1893 photo of the Victorian New Whatcom City Hall with its clock tower, newly built — New Whatcom City Hallc. 1893

1894 photograph of snow-covered Mount Baker seen across forested foothills — Mount Baker From Thompson’s Cabin1894

Circa 1895 photo of an enormous western redcedar tree in old-growth forest near Lake Whatcom — Giant Cedar Near Lake Whatcomc. 1895

Photograph of the dirt main street of early Nooksack, Washington lined with wood-frame buildings and a hotel in the 1890s — Nooksack Before the Firec. 1895

Circa 1895 photo of a waterfront sawmill at New Whatcom on Bellingham Bay — Sawmill on the New Whatcom Waterfrontc. 1895

Waterfront panorama of New Whatcom around 1895 — The New Whatcom Waterfrontc. 1895

Group of thirteen coal miners at the timber-framed entrance of a mine — Thirteen Miners at Blue Canyon1896

An 1897 truss bridge crossing the south fork of the Nooksack River — South Fork Nooksack Bridge1897

1898 photograph of a tug and coal barge on Lake Whatcom with forested shoreline — Hauling Coal on Lake Whatcom1898

A rider passing through a tunnel carved in a giant hollow cedar tree near Birch Bay, 1899 — The Cedar Arch at Birch Bay1899

The 1900sThe young city of Bellingham

Exposed sandstone quarry face with cut stone blocks, 1900 — Chuckanut Sandstone Quarry1900

1900 photo of the Ringling Brothers circus parade moving through downtown Bellingham — Circus Parade Through Downtown1900

A 1900 view across the rooftops and factories of the Fairhaven district — Fairhaven From the Hills, Summer 19001900

A 1900 photograph of the Fairhaven central business district — Fairhaven’s Business District, June 19001900

An elevated 1900 view over the Fairhaven waterfront and piers on Bellingham Bay — Overlooking the Fairhaven Waterfront1900

Circa 1900 photograph of Sherman Crater near the summit of Mount Baker, Washington — Sherman Crater, Mount Bakerc. 1900

Two-story wooden U.S. immigration detention house at the Sumas, Washington border crossing, circa 1900 — The Border Detention House at Sumasc. 1900

Around 1900 photograph of the Everett House restaurant and grocery store storefront in Whatcom County — The Everett House Restaurantc. 1900

The Fairhaven Hotel around 1900 — The Fairhaven Hotelc. 1900

A vintage sternwheel steamboat named Fairhaven underway on Puget Sound — The Sternwheeler Fairhavenc. 1900

1901 interior photo of Alexander's Oyster House restaurant in Bellingham — Inside Alexander’s Oyster House1901

Around 1901 photo of four people in front of Alexander's Oyster House storefront in Bellingham — Proprietors at Alexander’s Oyster Housec. 1901

Circa 1902 photo of men standing on the early roadbed of Chuckanut Drive — Early Chuckanut Drivec. 1902

Wooden gold-mine and mill buildings on a forested hillside, 1902 — Excelsior Gold Mine and Mill1902

A large wooden penstock pipe feeding the Nooksack Power Company plant, 1902 — Nooksack Power Company Penstock1902

1902 photograph of sidewheel and sternwheel steamboats docked at Bellingham — Steamboats at the Bellingham Dock1902

1902 photograph of Whatcom Falls with a log bridge crossing above the waterfall — Whatcom Falls and Log Bridge1902

Group portrait of Nooksack people with an elder, Whatcom County, around 1903 — Nooksack Elders and Old Tolowiec. 1903

Sepia around-1904 photo of the Washington State Normal School building — Washington State Normal Schoolc. 1904

Around 1905 photograph of a horse-drawn wagon on a rural road at Standard in Whatcom County — A Wagon on the Road at Standardc. 1905

Large wooden coal bunker on pilings spanning two railroad tracks beside a lake — Blue Canyon Coal Bunkers1905

Thousands of salmon spread across a wooden cannery dock, about 1905 — Four Thousand Salmon on the Dockc. 1905

Circa 1905 panoramic photograph of Bellingham descending toward the bay — Panorama of Bellinghamc. 1905

Around 1905 panorama of the Bellingham cityscape — Panorama of a Growing Cityc. 1905

Several masted sailing vessels anchored in Drayton Harbor near Blaine around 1905 — Sailing Ships at Drayton Harborc. 1905

Around 1905 photo of the brick Bellingham Bay Brewery building — The Bellingham Bay Breweryc. 1905

An early brickmaking yard with stacked bricks and wooden kiln sheds in Bellingham around 1905 — The Bellingham Brickyardc. 1905

1906 elevated photograph of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island with Mount Baker on the horizon — Friday Harbor and Mount Baker1906

Around 1906 photo of steam rollers paving a street in Bellingham — Paving the City Streetsc. 1906

Group of men, boys, and women standing outside a small wooden lumber mill at Hopewell, Washington, 1906 — The Mill at Hopewell1906

Black and white street scene in Sumas, Washington around 1907 with wooden buildings — Scene in Sumas1907

Bird's-eye view of the unified city of Bellingham, 1907 — The City of Bellingham1907

1907 postcard showing the small border town of Sumas, Washington beneath the foothills — The Town of Sumasc. 1907

1908 postcard of cargo sailing ships moored at a lumber mill dock on Bellingham Bay — Cargo Ships at the Sawmill Dock1908

1908 souvenir postcard view of Bellingham, Washington — Greetings From Bellingham, 19081908

1908 postcard of the wedge-shaped B.B. Furniture flatiron building in Bellingham — The B.B. Furniture Flatiron Building1908

Vintage postcard of the Bellingham Carnegie Public Library, a classical columned building — The Carnegie Public Library1908

1908 photograph of the waterfall at Whatcom Falls Park in Bellingham — Whatcom Falls Park1908

Group of schoolchildren standing on top of a giant redcedar tree stump, around 1909 — A School on a Cedar Stumpc. 1909

Formal group portrait of a Bellingham delegation at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition — Bellingham at the Exposition1909

1909 panoramic photograph of Bellingham and its waterfront — Bellingham from the Bay, 19091909

Coopers building wooden barrels at a fisheries plant, 1909 — Coopers at Pacific American Fisheries1909

Interior of an early Bellingham salmon cannery piled high with freshly caught fish — Inside a Bellingham Canneryc. 1909

1909 halftone photographs of a naval parade marching through downtown Bellingham alongside Beck's Theater and the YMCA building — Naval Parade of the Pacific Fleet1909

Around 1909 photo of the Northwest Hardware Company storefront in downtown Bellingham with streetcar tracks — Northwest Hardware Companyc. 1909

Enormous mass of salmon crowded inside a pile-driven fish trap, 1909 — One Hundred Thousand Salmon in the Trap1909

1909 photograph of the Pacific American Fisheries cannery piers on Bellingham's waterfront — Pacific American Fisheries on the Bay1909

1909 panorama of the Holly and Elk Streets intersection in downtown Bellingham — The Corner of Holly and Elk Streets1909

A Sumas street flooded by the Nooksack River in November 1909 — The Sumas Flood of 19091909

The 1910sStreetcars, mills, and shipyards

Black and white 1910 photo of a residential house and yard in Fairhaven, Washington — A Fairhaven Home1910

1910 bird's-eye postcard view of Lynden, Washington with the Cascade Range behind — Bird’s-Eye View of Lynden1910

Group of workers of the Japanese American Fertilizing and Fisheries Company on Lummi Island, around 1910 — Lummi Island Fisheries Crewc. 1910

Wooden waterfront buildings and a fishing boat at a dock on Lummi Island around 1910 — Lummi Island Fisheries Dockc. 1910

Old Main, the Bellingham Normal School, around 1910 — Old Main, the Normal Schoolc. 1910

Black and white 1910 photo of the steamer Mayflower at the Fairhaven dock — The Mayflower at Fairhaven1910

Early 1900s postcard of the 1890 Whatcom County Courthouse in Bellingham — The Whatcom County Courthousec. 1910

Four women standing beside an early grocery delivery truck, Whatcom County, around 1910 — Women and the Grocer’s Truckc. 1910

Black and white 1911 view of the small town of Ferndale, Washington with low wooden buildings — A View of Ferndale1911

Workers lifting salmon from a fish trap off Lummi Island, around 1911 — Brailing Salmon off Lummi Islandc. 1911

A long wooden railway trestle crossing over railroad tracks near a wooded shoreline — Interurban Trestle at Clayton Beachc. 1911

The large wooden coal washery building of the Carbon Coal and Clay Co. at Blaine, 1911 — The Carbon Coal and Clay Washery1911

Aerial view of the Bellingham waterfront around 1912 — Bellingham From the Airc. 1912

Vintage postcard view of North Side High School in Bellingham — North Side High Schoolc. 1912

Panoramic view of the town of Sumas, Washington around 1912 — Panorama of Sumasc. 1912

1910s postcard of Roeder School, a large brick schoolhouse in Bellingham — Roeder Schoolc. 1912

An early electric interurban railcar with men standing alongside it on opening day — The First Interurban Train1912

Pacific American Fisheries cannery, Bellingham, 1912 — The World’s Largest Cannery1912

Edward Curtis sepia portrait of a Lummi woman in traditional dress, 1913 — A Lummi Woman1913

1913 photograph of the Bellingham Federal Building and post office — The Federal Building1913

Around 1913 photograph of the concrete rearing ponds at the Samish salmon hatchery — The Samish Salmon Hatcheryc. 1913

1914 photo of the State Normal School building on a wooded hill above Bellingham — State Normal School on the Hill1914

1914 photograph of the Ainsworth and Dunn salmon cannery on the waterfront at Blaine, Washington — The Ainsworth and Dunn Cannery at Blaine1914

Panoramic photograph of Puget Sound tribes gathered at Tulalip for Treaty Day, 1914 — Treaty Day Gathering1914

Portrait of a Lummi family near Ferndale, Washington, 1915 — A Lummi Family1915

View of Mount Baker rising above Griffin Bay seen from San Juan Island around 1915 — Mount Baker Across Griffin Bayc. 1915

Interior of a wooden ship hull under construction in a shipyard, 1916 — Building Ships at the Cannery Yard1916

1916 photo of a sailing ship and a steamship moored together at the Bloedel-Donovan lumber dock — Sail and Steam at the Lumber Dock1916

Black and white photo of the brick U.S. border inspection station in Sumas, Washington — The Sumas Border Inspection Station1916

Cannery workers placing cut salmon on smoking trays in a smokehouse, 1916 — Women at the Smokehouse1916

1916 photograph of two wooden ship hulls under construction at the Pacific American Fisheries shipyard — Wooden Hulls on the Ways1916

Portrait of Frances Cleveland Axtell, Washington state legislator from Bellingham, 1917 — Frances C. Axtell1917

1918 photograph of a wooden cargo steamer at the Pacific American Fisheries yard in Bellingham — A Wartime Wooden Steamer1918

View down Holly Street in Bellingham around 1918 with streetcar tracks and storefronts — Holly Street Looking Downtownc. 1918

The 1920sThe grand era

1920 photograph of an early automobile parked in an arch carved through a giant redcedar stump — An Automobile Through a Cedar Stump1920

The International Peace Arch under construction near Blaine around 1920 — Building the Peace Archc. 1920

Circa 1920 photograph of workers loading scows at salmon traps on Bellingham Bay — Loading Scows at the Salmon Trapsc. 1920

Crowd gathered at the 1921 dedication of the International Peace Arch in Blaine — Dedicating the Peace Arch1921

Sawmill worker holding an oil can and machine parts, about 1922 — Mill Hand with His Oil Canc. 1922

Steam donkey engine dragging logs while onlookers watch at a logging site — Steam Donkey Hauls the Logs1922

Around 1922 group photograph of a girls' basketball team in Blaine, Washington — The Blaine Girls’ Basketball Teamc. 1922

Crowd watching the 1923 Tulip Parade on Cornwall Avenue in downtown Bellingham — The Tulip Parade1923

1924 photograph of a Lummi man kneeling on rocks beside still water, drawing a bow and arrow to shoot a fish — Shooting Fish with a Bow1924

1924 photograph of a Lummi man standing on rocks beside a tidal pool, holding a long fishing spear raised over the water — Spearing Salmon1924

A roped party of mountaineers ascending a snowy slope on Mount Baker around 1925 — Climbing Mount Bakerc. 1925

Workers loading stacks of lumber onto a cargo ship at a mill dock — Loading Lumber for Distant Portsc. 1925

Snow-covered Mount Baker reflected in a calm lake, 1920s — Mount Baker Mirrored in Snowc. 1925

Log pond at the Bloedel-Donovan lumber mills, 1925 — The Bloedel-Donovan Log Pond1925

A loaded log train crossing a tall wooden railroad trestle in a forested river valley, 1926 — Log Train on the Trestle1926

Stand of enormous old-growth Douglas fir trees in a forest, 1926 — Old-Growth on the Nooksack1926

Tall steel spar skidder cabling large logs in a cleared logging site — Steel Spar Skidder on the Nooksack1926

1926 hand-tinted photograph of a wooden trestle along Chuckanut Drive above Bellingham Bay — Trestle Above Bellingham Bay1926

1927 photograph of a woman beside a road sign with an early automobile in Blaine, Washington — At the Road Sign in Blaine1927

Around 1927 photograph of tourists swimming and boating on a lake beside Mt. Baker Lodge at Heather Meadows — Bathers at Mt. Baker Lodgec. 1927

The 1930s and 1940sDepression, war, and the lumber years

1931 photograph of the United States border inspection station at Blaine, Washington — The Pacific Highway Border Station1931

1930s photograph of Civilian Conservation Corps workers gathering for a meal at the Glacier camp in the Mount Baker forest — Mess Call at the Glacier CCC Campc. 1935

1930s photograph of a single skier crossing the snowfields near Coleman Creek on Mount Baker — Skier Crossing the Snowfieldsc. 1935

1930s photograph of two skiers among snow-covered trees below Table Mountain near Mount Baker — Skiers Below Table Mountainc. 1935

HABS photograph of the old New Whatcom City Hall and clock tower from the southeast — Old City Hall from the Southeastc. 1936

HABS exterior photo of the old Whatcom County brick courthouse on E Street — Washington’s Oldest Brick Buildingc. 1936

1944 U.S. Coast Guard photograph of the Patos Island Lighthouse in the San Juan Islands — Patos Island Lighthouse1944

Mid-century and beyondWithin living memory

1973 color photograph of Bellingham Bay water discolored by waste from the Georgia-Pacific pulp mill — Bellingham Bay in the Mill Years1973

1973 color photograph of cyclists on Chuckanut Drive in Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — Bicycle Sunday on Chuckanut Drive1973

1973 color photograph of a Columbian blacktail deer in the woods at Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — Blacktail Deer at Larrabee1973

1973 color photograph of people canoeing on Puget Sound off Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — Canoeing off Larrabee1973

1973 color photograph of wood-chip barges beside the Georgia-Pacific pulp mill on the Bellingham waterway — Chip Barges on the Bellingham Waterway1973

1973 color photograph of rock climbers practicing on a sandstone wall at Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — Climbers at Larrabee1973

1973 color photograph of a sunset over the San Juan Islands seen from the shore of Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — Larrabee State Park at Sunset1973

1973 color photograph of the driftwood-strewn saltwater beach at Larrabee State Park near Bellingham — The Beach at Larrabee1973