The community also lends its name to the nearby Van Zandt Dike[4] and Van Zandt Creek.[5]
History
A post office called Van Zandt was established in 1892, and remained in operation until 1955.[6] J. M. Van Zandt, the first postmaster who homesteaded there in 1883, gave the community his name.[7] Since the post office shut down, the community now relies on the post office in Deming for its mail.
A schoolhouse was built in 1925, and while it still stands today, it is in disrepair. Currently it serves as a community hall and a radio station hosting KAVZ-LP.[8] As of 2024, the community has been fundraising to be able to repair the building, and the state has given the community a grant of $500,000 to do so.[9]
In the 1930s, after Northern Pacific Railway set up a rail line running through the valley, logging became much more popular in the area and many roads and small logging railroads were built into the sides of the valley.[10]
The community used to have a small grocer, gift shop, and gas station, named Everybody's Store, founded in 1970, and closed in 2019.[11][8] It was a popular spot and a source of tourism in the community, selling gifts, clothes, artisan meats and cheeses, as well as ice cream.[12]
In 1971 an 80-acre homestead was established in Van Zandt, and in 1983 the land was donated to the Evergreen Land Trust, an organization for organizing communes in Washington.[13] Today an ecovillage commune tends the land and holds an active role in the local community.
In 2016 the bridge over the Nooksack River on Potter Rd was replaced, as the old bridge was built in 1927 and was becoming unsafe.[14][15]
Transportation
Van Zandt is located roughly between Acme and Deming, along the Washington State Route 9. The community is connected to the WTA bus line 72X via one stop in front of the community center, although this stop is only serviced twice a day.[16] A BNSF owned railroad track cuts through the middle of the community.
Recreation
Van Zandt is home to one park, Josh VanderYacht Memorial Park, which offers courts for various sports, and a playground. Events also take place in the community hall, and in a gazebo located within the park.[17][8]
The valley in which Van Zandt sits features a few trails and spots for hiking. One such place, Hard Scrabble Falls, used to be a popular waterfall to hike out to but the private owner of the land has since closed the trail due to unruly activity in order to preserve the land around the falls,[18] although the falls can still be seen from the highway. Other waterfalls and creeks do dot the valley, although they are often on private property.
Tubing down the South Fork Nooksack River used to be a popular summer activity in Van Zandt, and especially in neighboring Acme, but in 2022 the Whatcom County Council voted on banning the activity to protect salmon habitat in the river.[19][20]Swimming, however, remains a popular summer activity in the area.
Van Zandt Dike used to be a spot for recreational target shooting, however after unsafe shooting practices were reported in 2024, as well as littering and timber theft, the Department of Natural Resources has decided to close down the area to target shooting. Other recreational activities are still allowed, however the gate that was once used to get up the dike is now closed.[21]
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