Earlier this year I took a quick road trip to the “west side” of Washington State to a place called Bellingham. This mid-sized Pacific Northwest city of roughly 90,000 people is situated right next to the Puget Sound and is only a short 21 miles from Canada. Within the city, on the south side, is the historic district named Fairhaven which is where I spent a great deal of time while I was inside the city limits simply because of its historic significance.
The Historic District
Fairhaven started out as a settlement which was founded in 1883 by a man named Dan Harris who arrived in the area sometime between 1853 and 1854. In a relatively short amount of time this new town grew from a population of around 150 to well over 8000 after the land was sold by Dan to the newly formed Fairhaven Land Company. With dreams of building a major city equal in size (or larger) to Seattle, the company quickly promoted the area as being rich in resources such as gold and also acquired the small town of Bellingham.
During the late 1800s, competition was high for towns along the Washington coast when it came to railroads and the founders of Fairhaven wanted to win at all costs. The goal was to become the terminal city (i.e. end of the line) of the Great Northern Railroad but after years of competition the much larger city of Seattle won the title.
Although never getting their grand terminal nor did they reach the size of nearby Seattle, Fairhaven was officially incorporated in 1890 and became the site of the Pacific American Fisheries Company which employed well over 4,000 people. Over time, a large and luxurious hotel was built to attract wealthy businessmen and the first Carnegie library in the area was constructed which is still in operation to this day. In the fall of 1903, the people of Fairhaven as well as those of the small communities in the area voted to combine their small towns into a single city that we now know as Bellingham which was officially established a couple months later.
Visiting this Hidden Gem
Today, Fairhaven still maintains its iconic 19th century architecture and any new buildings being constructed must abide by city codes in order to maintain this style that the historic district is known for. Tourism is a big part of the district during the summer months and many activities are done outside. During most weekends the Pickford Outdoor Cinema plays outdoor movies, in the center of town is a farmers market and the numerous local shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes offer a wide range of art and local cuisine.
Washington’s First State Park
After spending a day exploring the city I took off to get some much needed time outdoors among the trees. This trip took me to Larrabee State Park which to my surprise just happens to be the first state park in Washington.
Sitting at the base of Chuckanut Mountain, this park is well known for not only its amazing views of the San Juan Islands and Samish Bay but also easy access to activities such as boating, fishing, paddling and camping. Of course thats just the tip of the ice burg, this park also has abundant hiking trails as well and thats exactly what I was looking for.
After a little research I quickly found a trailhead that provided access to the small but popular Fragrance Lake. The trail itself is a short 4.5 miles out and back with moderate elevation gain.
Despite being very popular and thus experiencing tons of foot traffic, I only ran into a handful of people as I made my way to Fragrance lake. Once arriving at the lake I took a much needed rest and enjoyed the view. The trail continues on and loops around the lake but due to limited time I decided to turn around and head back.
Spending time in nature certainly has a calming effect on the body and mind and I without a doubt felt that on this journey. Bellingham has so much to offer especially for those wanting to explore the outdoors and remain active which is one reason why I love the area so much and I know you will too.
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The Anticz Project 