Currently, Bellingham has eight districts on the National Register of Historic Places, which is the official federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. From the federal perspective, a property owner can do whatever they want with their property as long as there are no federal monies attached to the property.
Broadway Park Historic District
The district is located directly to the north of downtown Bellingham in the Cornwall Park Neighborhood. The blocks are a varied mix of long and short lengths and even widths, designed to accommodate the topography of the park and a number of diagonal streets that are the hallmarks of the plat. The nomination (1,626k PDF) contains more information and photographs (3,856k PDF) of the area. Visit the Cornwall Park Survey and Inventory page for additional materials.
Cissna Cottages Historic District
The district encompasses a one-block plus two-lot area developed by Charles Cissna between 1900 and 1904, and is a smaller portion of the larger Lettered Streets Neighborhood. It is one of the city’s oldest areas, and is distinctive for its street grid platted parallel to the bay. The nomination (2,416k PDF) contains more information and photographs (841k PDF) of the area. Visit the 2007-2009 Preserve America Survey and Inventory page for additional materials.
Downtown Historic District
The district is located in downtown Bellingham, includes approximately 75 acres of land and contains 14 resources that have been previously listed on the National Register of Historic Places. As a group, the district’s buildings and site convey the significant commercial, social and transportation network growth that has shaped the heart of downtown Bellingham. The nomination (4,325k PDF) has photos and more information. Visit the Downtown Historic District webpage for additional material.
Eldridge Historic District
The district encompasses approximately 130 acres of land originally claimed by Edward Eldridge (western portion) and Henry Roeder (eastern portion). The area contains north-south running streets, that were named, for the most part, for Roeder family members and the streets running east-west were named for presidents. The nomination (6,526k PDF) contains photographs and more information. Visit the Eldridge Historic District webpage for additional material.
Fairhaven Historic District
The district encompasses an area of three and a quarter blocks and contains the best preserved commercial buildings in Fairhaven. There are thirteen primary buildings oriented along the main intersecting streets of Fairhaven that date from the speculative boom around 1890 to the period of the First World War. The nomination (3,313k PDF) contains photographs and more information. Visit the Fairhaven Historic District webpage for additional material.
Sehome Hill Historic District
The district is a residential district situated on the northeast slope of Sehome Hill. This area is a highly intact example of an early twentieth century working and middle-class neighborhood. The nomination (18,109k PDF) contains photographs and more information. Visit the Sehome Neighborhood Survey page for additional materials.
South Hill Historic District
The district is located within the larger South Hill Neighborhood, which was first settled by the working class in the 1880’s. When the 20th century arrived with real estate developers and street cars, South Hill began to fill with houses and the social strata somewhat matched the topography. The nomination (8,149k PDF) contains more information and photographs (4,143k PDF) of the area. Visit the 2007-2009 Preserve America Survey and Inventory page for additional materials.
York Historic District
The district is located in the York Neighborhood and forms an intact, coherent collection of residential housing developed in 1900. Although there were a few homes built in the 1940’s and 1950’s, virtually all of the York Neighborhood was developed and built out by the time of the Great Depression. The nomination (5,600k PDF) contains more information and photographs (2,592k PDF) of the area. Visit the 2007-2009 Preserve America Survey and Inventory page for additional materials.
Resources
- Bellingham’s Historic Register Story Map
- Bellingham Historic Resource and Survey Inventory
- Bellingham Historic Tours
- Commercial Properites on National Multiple Property Listing
