Bellingham is the most populous city in, and 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 in between two major cities of the Pacific Northwest: Vancouver, British Columbia and Seattle. The city had a population of 80,885 as of the 2010 census and is estimated to have grown to 92,314 as of 2019.
Whatcom County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Washington, bordered by the Canadian Lower Mainland to the north, the Okanogan County to the east, the Skagit County and San Juan County to the south and southwest, and the Salish Sea to the west. Its county seat and largest population center is the coastal city of Bellingham, comprising the Bellingham, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area, and as of the 2010 census, the county's population was 201,140.
State Route 542 (SR 542) is a 57.24-mile-long (92.12 km) state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, serving Mount Baker in Whatcom County. SR 542 travels east as the Mount Baker Highway from an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) in Bellingham through the Nooksack River valley to the Mt. Baker Ski Area at Austin Pass. It serves as the main highway to Mount Baker and the communities of Deming, Kendall, and Maple Falls along the Nooksack River. The highway was constructed in 1893 by Whatcom County as a wagon road between Bellingham and Maple Falls and was added to the state highway system as a branch of State Road 1 in 1925. The branch was transferred to Primary State Highway 1 (PSH 1) during its creation in 1937 and became SR 542 during the 1964 highway renumbering.
Lake Whatcom is located in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. It is the drinking water source for approximately 85,000 residents in the city of Bellingham as well as Whatcom County. It is approximately 10 miles (16 km) in length and 1 mile (1.6 km) in width at its widest. Lake Whatcom is located and managed within three political jurisdictions: the city of Bellingham, Whatcom County, and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District. The lake is a popular area for motor boating, swimming, fishing, and other recreational activities.
State Route 11 (SR 11) is a 21.28-mile (34.25 km) long state highway that serves Skagit and Whatcom counties in the U.S. state of Washington. SR 11, known as Chuckanut Drive, begins at an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) north of Burlington and continues northwest through several small towns and the Chuckanut Mountains to the Fairhaven district of Bellingham, where the highway turns east and ends again at I-5.
Lummi Island lies at the southwest corner of Whatcom County, Washington, United States, between the mainland part of the county and offshore San Juan County. The Lummi Indian Reservation is situated on a peninsula east of the island, but does not include Lummi Island. The island has a land area of 23.97 square kilometres and had a population of 822 as of the 2000 census. The population nearly doubles in summer when property owners from both Canada and the U.S. arrive for summer fun and relaxation.
The Point Roberts Light is an aid to navigation located in Point Roberts, Whatcom County, Washington State, United States. The skeletal structure overlooks the Strait of Georgia from the end of a peninsula extending southward from Delta, British Columbia, Canada, across the 49th parallel into the U.S. It is part of Lighthouse Marine Park, a 21-acre (8.5 ha) recreational area operated by Whatcom County Parks and Recreation.
The Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is the public transit authority of Whatcom County in northwestern Washington, based in the city of Bellingham. It provides bus service on 31 fixed routes, including branded "GO Lines" with 15-minute frequencies on weekdays, to cities in its service area. In addition to bus service, the WTA offers paratransit service and a vanpool programs.
Diablo Dam is one of three dams along the upper Skagit River in Whatcom County, Washington and part of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project that supplies Seattle with some of its power needs. The dam was built in Diablo Canyon, a gorge of solid granite with vertical walls rising 160 feet (49 m) from the river bed, yet were less than 100 feet (30 m) apart. Construction began in 1927, and was completed in 1930. The dam began generating electricity in 1936.
The Bellingham Public Library is a public library system serving Bellingham, Washington, US. It maintains three libraries, one in the Civic Center of downtown Bellingham, one in Fairhaven, and one in Barkley Village. The system is independent of the Whatcom County Library System, serving the entire county, but has a reciprocal borrowing agreement.
Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) provides public library services for residents of Whatcom County, Washington through 10 library branches, a bookmobile, and on the web at http://www.wcls.org. Christine Perkins is the current WCLS Executive Director.
State Route 548 (SR 548) is a state highway in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. It travels for 14 miles (23 km) between Ferndale and Blaine, terminating at interchanges with Interstate 5 (I-5) at both ends. SR 548 in Blaine, named Peace Portal Drive, follows the route of the Pacific Highway, later U.S. Route 99 (US 99) and Primary State Highway 1 (PSH 1). US 99 was decommissioned during the 1964 highway renumbering and the highway was maintained by Whatcom County until it was designated as SR 548 in 1991.
The T.G. Richards and Company Store, also known as Whatcom County Courthouse and James B. Steadman Post No. 24, is the first and oldest brick building in the state of Washington, United States, and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Whatcom Pavilion is a 1,200 seat multi-purpose arena located in Bellingham, Washington, United States on the campus of Whatcom Community College. It is home to the Whatcom Community College Orcas and the Bellingham Slam of the International Basketball League, as well as the Bellingham Roller Betties roller derby league.
Whatcom Community College is a public community college in Bellingham, Washington, in Whatcom County. Established in 1967, Whatcom has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1976.
Laurel is an unincorporated community in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. It lies between the cities of Bellingham and Lynden on State Route 539.
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Whatcom County, Washington.
The Mount Baker Gold Rush occurred in Whatcom County, Washington, United States, upon the discovery of the Lone Jack Mine. The Mount Baker area was flooded with prospectors which led to the staking of many claims both patented and unpatented. The most notable mines staked soon after the Lone Jack are the Boundary Red Mountain Mine, Garget Mine, Gold Basin Mine, Silver Tip Mine, and the Evergreen Mine.
Elisabeth Gabrielle "Lizzi" Jackson is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Bellingham, Washington, who was crowned Miss Washington 2015. She competed for the Miss America 2016 title in September 2015.
The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is a law enforcement agency in Whatcom County, Washington.
