Sehome, Bellingham, Washington

Last updated

Sehome
Neighborhood
View of Bellingham from Sehome neighborhood.jpg
View of Sehome from Sehome Hill
Sehome, Bellingham, Washington
Coordinates: 48°44′24″N122°28′31″W / 48.74000°N 122.47528°W / 48.74000; -122.47528
Country United States
State Washington
County Whatcom
City Bellingham
Platted 1854
Incorporated 1888
Amalgamated1891
ZIP code
98225
Sehome Hill Historic District
Sehome Hill Historic District.jpg
Homes in the historic district
Location Bellingham, Washington, U.S.
Built1875–1949
Architectural style American Craftsman, Late Victorian
NRHP reference No. 01000063
Added to NRHPFebruary 13, 2001 [1]

Sehome is a neighborhood in Bellingham, Washington, United States. It was the first town on Bellingham Bay and was founded in May 1858 by coal mine manager Edmund C. Fitzhugh, who named the settlement for his father-in-law, S'Klallam chief Sehome. The townsite was originally owned by the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad, which operated the Bellingham Bay Coal Mine until it closed in 1878. The town of Sehome was amalgamated in 1891 with three other settlements into New Whatcom, which was later renamed to Bellingham.

Contents

The neighborhood now constitutes the southern part of downtown Bellingham and nearby residential areas that were developed in the early 20th century. It includes the Sehome Hill Arboretum and is adjacent to the Western Washington University campus, which lies to the southwest of the neighborhood. The Sehome Hill Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

History

The area around Bellingham Bay is the ancestral home of several Coast Salish peoples, including the Lummi, Nooksack, Nuwhaha, and Samish. The first non-native settlers in the area were Henry Roeder and Russell Peabody, who built a lumber mill on Whatcom Creek and staked land claims around the stream in 1852. [2] [3] Roeder's claim was south of the creek in modern-day Sehome, where two of his employees discovered coal in the roots of a fallen tree while logging. Roeder sold his land to the Bellingham Bay Coal Company, which amassed 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) for a coal mine that would fill loaded ships bound for California from a new dock on Bellingham Bay. [2] [3]

The town of Sehome was platted in May 1858 by Edmund C. Fitzhugh, the manager of the coal mine, and was the first town on Bellingham Bay. It was named for S'Klallam [4] chief Sehome (Klallam : sx̣ʷiʔám̕), Fitzhugh's father-in-law. [5] [6] The coal mine's growth was briefly stymied after new regulations from the Colony of British Columbia required coal mines to obtain permits from the colonial government in Victoria. Sehome grew from 80 residents in 1860 to 258 in 1870; three years later, the mine employed 100 white and Chinese men. [2] The Bellingham Bay Coal Mine closed in 1878 as the quality of coal declined despite the excavation of deeper tunnels to find higher-quality veins. [2]

The town relied on trade through its deep-water dock after the closure of the coal mine. Sehome was cleared of its forests and permanent buildings were constructed in the 1880s following the activation of an electrical power plant by the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company (successor to the coal mine). [2] Sehome was incorporated in 1888 and amalgamated into the town of New Whatcom in 1891 alongside neighboring Whatcom. [3] The settlement was later renamed Whatcom in 1910 and Bellingham in 1903 after it had absorbed two more towns. [2] In 1893, the Washington state government chose a site south of Sehome for the New Whatcom Normal School, a teacher's school that later expanded to become Western Washington University. [7]

The Sehome neighborhood had several streetcar lines that connected to other areas of Bellingham until the system was replaced by buses in 1938. The lines spurred the development of streetcar suburbs, including in Sehome, and created demand for residential areas throughout the former town. [2] The east side of the neighborhood was developed in the 1930s following the completion of Maple Valley Road (now Samish Way), which was later designated as part of U.S. Route 99—the main north–south highway in Western Washington. The highway was bypassed by the construction of Interstate 5, which was completed around Bellingham in 1960. [8] The city's first suburban shopping center, named Bellingham Mall, was opened in 1969 next to the freeway's interchange with Samish Way in southeastern Sehome. [9] It was later eclipsed in importance by Bellis Fair and renamed to Sehome Village after it was rebuilt in 1991. [8] [10]

The Sehome Hill Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 2001, following a three-year campaign by local residents to recognize the neighborhood's historic residential architecture. The designation includes more than 200 eligible properties, mostly built before 1930, on nine streets. [11]

Geography

The neighborhood lies between Downtown Bellingham to the north and the Western Washington University campus to the south. It includes the northern side of Sehome Hill, which rises 640 feet (200 m) above sea level and also encompasses the Sehome Hill Arboretum. [12] [13] Most of the neighborhood's streets are arranged in the same grid as Downtown Bellingham with north–south streets named in alphabetical order ascending from the waterfront. The street blocks were designed to have 16 lots and an alleyway. [12] The city government's official boundaries for Sehome are defined by N. State Street to the northwest, E. Holly Street and Ellis Street to the northeast, N. Samish Way to the east, Bill McDonald Parkway and the Western Washington University campus to the south, and Cedar and Garden streets to the southwest. [14]

Demographics

Most of Sehome lies within Whatcom County Census Tract 10, which also includes the Western Washington University campus. As of the 2020 census, the tract had a total population of 8,065 people—an increase of 13 percent from the 2010 census. The racial makeup of the tract was 77.1% White, 2.3% Black, 0.6% Native American, 5.3% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, and 2.9% from other races; 11.4% of people identified with two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.6% of the population. [15]

Government

The neighborhood is split between two Bellingham City Council wards that each elect a councilmember: Ward 3, which includes Downtown Bellingham and neighborhoods to the east; and Ward 5, which includes Western Washington University. [16] Sehome is represented by a member of the Whatcom County Council elected from District 1, which includes Downtown Bellingham, Fairhaven, and the city's southern neighborhoods. [17]

Sehome is served by Fire Station 3 of the Bellingham Fire Department, which was completed in 1984 and renovated in 1998. [18]

Parks and recreation

The Sehome Hill Arboretum is a 175-acre (71 ha) public park and nature preserve that encompasses the southern half of the Sehome neighborhood and includes most of Sehome Hill. [13] It was established in the early 20th century and opened in 1974 following an agreement between the Bellingham city government and Western Washington University to delegate maintenance and development to a volunteer organization. The arboretum includes Douglas fir and western hemlock groves, other deciduous trees, and walking trails. [19] It is also home to 92 species of birds and over 16 species of mammals, including deer and coyotes. [20]

Sehome has two neighborhood parks: Laurel Park and Forest & Cedar Park. They are both 2 acres (0.81 ha) and include playgrounds, lawns, and basketball courts. [7] Laurel Park opened in 1984 on the site of the former Sehome Grade School, which was constructed in 1890 and demolished in 1958 after it had been abandoned for 18 years. [21] The park was leased to Western Washington University but was not developed by the city government until the late 1990s. [22] The neighborhood also has one off-street trail, the Crooked Path, and is near other parks in adjacent areas. [7]

Infrastructure

Healthcare

The St. Luke's Hospital campus in Sehome, later acquired by PeaceHealth St. Luke's hospital site, Bellingham.jpg
The St. Luke's Hospital campus in Sehome, later acquired by PeaceHealth

St. Luke's Hospital was established in 1892 by St. Paul's Episcopal Church at the former Grand Central Hotel, which had 20 beds. [23] It quickly outgrew the building and moved across Sehome to a new, purpose-built hospital in January 1895. [24] St. Luke's moved into a larger building in 1927 and expanded their campus through several renovation and improvement programs during the 20th century; [25] it also became the sole designated trauma center for Whatcom County. [23] A 1985 plan to build a helicopter pad for the hospital was rejected following objections from Sehome residents; a helicopter landing area was instead built at the Civic Athletic Complex. [26] St. Luke's was acquired in 1989 by their former crosstown rival, St. Joseph Hospital, and was renamed to the South Campus. [23] St. Joseph was later acquired by PeaceHealth, who moved most of their facilities away from the South Campus in the late 2010s. [27]

Transportation

Sehome has several arterial streets that connect to other neighborhoods, as well as residential streets with little traffic. [7] [28] The busiest street is N. Samish Way, which had daily average volumes of 11,800 vehicles through the neighborhood in 2023. [29] It connects to an interchange with Interstate 5 at the southeast corner of the neighborhood near the Sehome Village shopping center. [14] Sehome also has several streets with marked bicycle lanes and secondary passageways, such as alleys, that are designated for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. [7]

The Whatcom Transportation Authority runs several bus routes through Sehome that connect to Downtown Bellingham and the Western Washington University campus. [7]

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The Sehome Hill Arboretum is a public park in the Sehome neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington. It comprises 175.5 acres (71.0 ha) of second growth forest on Sehome Hill, adjacent to the campus of Western Washington University. Though called an arboretum, the hilly expanse atop Sehome Hill is not consciously planted as an exhibit of tree species, but naturally wooded and rich in the plant species typical of the region. The arboretum is jointly managed by both the university and the city. Its care is overseen by the Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors, composed of city employees, university employees, university students, and city residents. The park offers students and city dwellers over 5 miles (8 km) of public trails for walking and running and, in some areas, bicycling. Unique features of the park include an 80-foot (24 m) wooden observation tower atop Sehome Hill, with aerial views of Bellingham Bay to the south. There is also a large tunnel, hand cut into rock in 1923, originally used for car traffic in the early 1900s. Its tall, thin shape shows its creation for cars like Model T Fords of the day. Cars are no longer allowed in the tunnel and it is part of a trail along which hikers can walk.

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References

  1. ↑ "National Register Information System – Sehome Hill Historic District (#01000063)". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Sehome Historic Resource Survey Report: Historic Context" (PDF). City of Bellingham. August 2013. pp. 1–7. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Folkerts, Dale (August 25, 1982). "Birth and rebirth on the bay". The Bellingham Herald . pp.  4F–5F . Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "siastənu Ruth Shelton". Tulalip Department of Lushootseed. December 17, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
  5. ↑ Schwartz, Ralph (September 7, 2022). "What's the Deal With: The name 'Sehome'?". Cascadia Daily News . Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  6. ↑ Wellman, Candace; Kahn, Dean (February 16, 2023). "Who was Edmund C. Fitzhugh?". Salish Current . Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Sehome Neighborhood Plan" (PDF). City of Bellingham. October 2021. pp. 5–6, 23–25, 27–30. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Kahn, Dean (October 5, 2014). "Troubled Samish Way in Bellingham has seen ups and downs as traffic route". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  9. ↑ Daniel, Bev (March 26, 1969). "Bellingham Mall Rushes to Opening". The Bellingham Herald. p. 20. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Sabbatini, Mark (July 2, 1991). "Bellingham Mall renamed again, opening delayed". The Bellingham Herald. p. B3. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Kahn, Dean (March 20, 2001). "Neighborhood lands historic listing". The Bellingham Herald. p. A6. Retrieved November 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 Yoon, Carol (December 2000). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Sehome Hill Historic District". National Park Service. pp. 6–11. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Relyea, Kie (June 6, 2008). "Meet the Arboretum: Event provides insights, history of Sehome Arboretum". The Bellingham Herald. p. D1. Retrieved November 5, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 Neighborhoods (PDF) (Map). City of Bellingham. July 10, 2024. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  15. ↑ "How many people live in Census Tract 10, Whatcom County, Washington". Your Life in Data. USA Today . Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  16. ↑ Bellingham Election Boundaries (PDF) (Map). City of Bellingham. November 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Whatcom County – County Council Districts (Map). Whatcom County. 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  18. ↑ Cohen, Aubrey (December 7, 1998). "Station 3 firefighters happy to return home". The Bellingham Herald. p. A6. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ Barrett, Eldon (October 16, 1994). "Sehome Hill Arboretum: Haven in a world of change". The Bellingham Herald. pp.  C1, C4 . Retrieved November 6, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Barrett, Eldon (September 5, 1993). "Back to nature: Area's natural beauty invites outdoor trips". The Bellingham Herald. pp. C1, C6. Retrieved November 6, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ Joy, Aaron (June 4, 1999). "Millennium Milestones – 1940: Sehome Grade School abandoned". The Bellingham Herald. p. A3. Retrieved November 6, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ Cohen, Aubrey (March 23, 1998). "Sehome playground to bring safety, fun". The Bellingham Herald. p. A6. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  23. 1 2 3 Ferm, Carol (January 8, 1991). "A century of hospital care". The Bellingham Herald. p. C1. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ Hart Southcott, Bonnie (March 15, 2012). "Milestones: Whatcom's early residents had choice of hospitals". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  25. ↑ Relyea, Kie (April 7, 2017). "They're empty and boarded up. What's going on with 2 houses on Billy Frank Jr. St.?". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  26. ↑ Cohen, Aubrey (September 14, 1998). "23rd annual garage sale brings Sehome together". The Bellingham Herald. p. A6. Retrieved November 14, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ Relyea, Kie (August 13, 2019). "Remember the boarded-up houses on Billy Frank Jr. Street? Here's what's happened to them". The Bellingham Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  28. ↑ Neighborhoods, Arterial Routes & Traffic Signals (PDF) (Map). City of Bellingham. October 17, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  29. ↑ 2023 Traffic Volumes (PDF) (Map). City of Bellingham. March 18, 2024. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
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